a transcription for the viola of three violin works by amy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

2017

A Transcription for the Viola of Three Violin Works by Amy Beach: A Transcription for the Viola of Three Violin Works by Amy Beach:

A Historical, Theoretical, and Pedagogical Analysis A Historical, Theoretical, and Pedagogical Analysis

Courtney Erin Grant

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A Transcription for the Viola of Three Violin Works by Amy Beach: A Historical, Theoretical, and Pedagogical Analysis

Courtney Erin Grant

Dissertation submitted to the College of Creative Arts

at West Virginia University

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Musical Arts in Viola Performance

Mikylah McTeer, DMA, Chair, Co-Research Advisor David Taddie, PhD, Co-Research Advisor

Andrea Houde, MM William Haller, DMA

Pablo Garcia Loaeza, PhD

School of Music

Morgantown, West Virginia 2017

Keywords: Amy Beach, Romance, Opus 23, Invocation, Opus 55, Three Pieces for Violin and Piano, Opus 40, Viola Transcription

Copyright 2017 Courtney Erin Grant

ABSTRACT

A Transcription for the Viola of Three Violin Works by Amy Beach: A Historical, Theoretical, and Pedagogical Analysis

Courtney Erin Grant

The primary purpose of this project was to transcribe and create publisher-ready scores for viola and piano of three works originally written for violin and piano by Amy Beach. These scores are being made available through Spartan Press Music. The pieces transcribed are the Romance, opus 23, Three Pieces for Violin, opus 40, and Invocation, opus 55. A detailed analysis of each of these pieces is also included, as no other scholar has yet published such an analysis. The harmonic, thematic, and melodic components are broken down into as much detail as possible.

Each piece also adds significantly to the viola repertoire. There is a noticeable lack of pieces composed by early American women composers currently available for viola. Besides helping to fill that void, many of these pieces could also serve a specific pedagogical purpose within a viola studio. For example, La Captive, one of the pieces from opus 40, is to be played entirely on the C string when transcribed (originally entirely on the violin G string), necessitating many shifts into high positions. Berceuse, another piece from opus 40, is to be played muted. The inclusion of these works into the viola repertoire provides both performers and teachers with new programming and study options.

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Acknowledgements

They say it takes a village to raise a child, I would also argue it takes a village of support to finish a doctorate. First, I would like to thank Prof. Andrea Houde, my primary teacher, for all her help and encouragement during both my masters and doctorate degrees. My co-research advisors, Dr. Mikylah McTeer and Dr. David Taddie, have provided support and guidance throughout the writing of this document and the course of my degree. Dr. McTeer deserves another round of acknowledgement for also serving as the chair of my committee. Many thanks to the rest of my committee, Dr. Pablo García Loaeza and Dr. William Haller, for their time and support. My family and friends are one of the major reasons I have been able to finish this document and degree. There have been countless people over the years that have prayed for and supported me throughout the process. I wish there was room to thank each one individually. To my best friend in the whole world, Meghan Adams. Thank you for your countless hours of revisions along with being a superb listener. To my sister, Michelle Charlier, who has always shown me unconditional love. My parents…I am not sure any of us had a clue where this journey would lead when I started playing the violin in 3rd grade. But you have been there every step of the way with your unending support and tireless enthusiasm. I could not have asked for two more loving and supportive parents. Last, but most certainly not least, my wonderful husband, Kristopher Grant. You have always been my rock throughout this process. Thank you for keeping me as sane as possible and reminding me that taking time to breathe is always a good thing.

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Table of Contents

List of Musical Examples v

Chapter 1 - Introduction 1

Chapter 2 - A Brief Biography of Amy Beach 5

Chapter 3 - Analysis of Romance for Violin and Piano, op. 23 25

Chapter 4 - Analysis of Three Works for Violin and Piano, op. 40 69

La Captive 70

Berceuse 80

Mazurka 92

Chapter 5 - Analysis of Invocation for Violin and Piano, op. 55 115

Chapter 6 - Pedagogical and Performance Uses of the Viola Transcriptions 137

Chapter 7 - Conclusion 147

Bibliography 149

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List of Musical Examples

Example 3.1: Sweetheart, Sigh No More! mm. 1–4 26 Example 3.2: Romance, mm. 1–2 27 Example 3.3: Romance, mm. 1–12, violin only 27 Example 3.4: Romance, mm. 13–23, violin only 29 Example 3.5: Romance, mm. 15–22 29 Example 3.6: Romance, mm. 25–26 31 Example 3.7: Romance, mm. 13–14 32 Example 3.8: Romance, mm. 17–19 32 Example 3.9: Romance, mm. 13–15 33 Example 3.10: Romance, mm. 8–9 33 Example 3.11: Romance, mm. 22–24 34 Example 3.12: Romance, mm. 4–13 35 Example 3.13: Romance, mm. 15–21 36 Example 3.14: Romance, mm. 21–29 38 Example 3.15: Romance, mm. 29–43 40 Example 3.16: Romance, mm. 43–52 43 Example 3.17: Romance, mm. 55–58 45 Example 3.18: Romance, mm. 59–63 46 Example 3.19: Romance, mm. 64–73 47 Example 3.20: Frédéric Chopin’s Prelude in E Minor, mm. 1–12 49 Example 3.21: Romance, mm. 57–63 50 Example 3.22: Romance, mm. 67–75 52 Example 3.23: Romance, mm. 75–78 53 Example 3.24: Romance, mm. 103–105 54 Example 3.25: Romance, mm. 87–91 54 Example 3.26: Romance, mm. 78–81 55 Example 3.27: J.S. Bach’s Praeludium VI, mm. 1–2 57 Example 3.28: Romance, mm. 79–93 57 Example 3.29: Romance, mm. 91–96 59 Example 3.30: Romance, mm. 99–105 61 Example 3.31: Romance, mm. 108–109 62 Example 3.32: Franz Schubert’s Der Doppelgänger, mm. 31–34 63 Example 3.33: Romance, mm. 113–117 64 Example 3.34: Romance, mm. 105–106 65 Example 3.35: Romance, mm. 112–113 65 Example 3.36: Romance, mm. 118–119 66 Example 3.37: Romance, mm. 107–110 66 Example 4.1: La Captive, mm. 4–5 71 Example 4.2: La Captive, mm. 13–16 71 Example 4.3: La Captive, mm. 22–30 71 Example 4.4: La Captive, mm. 6–8 73

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Example 4.5: La Captive, mm. 25–30 73 Example 4.6: La Captive, mm. 1–3 74 Example 4.7: La Captive, mm. 22–25 75 Example 4.8: La Captive, mm. 4–5 75 Example 4.9: La Captive, mm. 10–12 76 Example 4.10: La Captive, mm. 7–11 77 Example 4.11: La Captive, mm. 13–16 78 Example 4.12: La Captive, mm. 17–18 78 Example 4.13: La Captive, mm. 22–26 79 Example 4.14: Berceuse, mm. 1–20 81 Example 4.15: Berceuse, mm. 27–31 82 Example 4.16: Berceuse, mm. 41–44 83 Example 4.17: Berceuse, mm. 48–49 84 Example 4.18: Berceuse, mm. 59–61 84 Example 4.19: Berceuse, mm. 16–20 85 Example 4.20: Berceuse, mm. 5–10 86 Example 4.21: Berceuse, mm. 18–20 86 Example 4.22: Berceuse, mm. 21–27 87 Example 4.23: Berceuse, mm. 27–36 88 Example 4.24: Berceuse, mm. 42–45 89 Example 4.25: Berceuse, mm. 47–53 90 Example 4.26: Berceuse, mm. 64–69 91 Example 4.27: Mazurka, mm. 1–12 93 Example 4.28: Mazurka, mm. 13–18 95 Example 4.29: Mazurka, mm. 21–28 95 Example 4.30: Mazurka, mm. 29–39 97 Example 4.31: Mazurka, mm. 45–48 98 Example 4.32: Mazurka, mm. 48–52 99 Example 4.33: Mazurka, mm. 53–69 100 Example 4.34: Mazurka, mm. 70–74 101 Example 4.35: Mazurka, mm. 78–85 102 Example 4.36: Mazurka, mm. 94–100 103 Example 4.37: Mazurka, mm. 1–5 104 Example 4.38: Mazurka, mm. 9–10 105 Example 4.39: Mazurka, mm. 17–20 105 Example 4.40: Mazurka, mm. 25–29 106 Example 4.41: Mazurka, mm. 29–34 107 Example 4.42: Mazurka, mm. 38–44 108 Example 4.43: Mazurka, mm. 45–48 109 Example 4.44: Mazurka, mm. 59–60 110 Example 4.45: Mazurka, mm. 64–68 110 Example 4.46: Mazurka, m. 80 111 Example 4.47: Mazurka, mm. 86–95 111

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Example 5.1: Invocation, mm. 4–5 117 Example 5.2: Invocation, mm. 26–28 117 Example 5.3: Invocation, mm. 20–21 118 Example 5.4: Invocation, mm. 43–48 118 Example 5.5: Invocation, mm. 12–13 119 Example 5.6: Invocation, mm. 35–36 120 Example 5.7: Invocation, mm. 7–9 120 Example 5.8: Invocation, mm. 30–32 120 Example 5.9: Invocation, mm. 18–19 121 Example 5.10: Invocation, mm. 41–42 121 Example 5.11: Invocation, mm. 4–5 122 Example 5.12: Invocation, mm. 26–28 122 Example 5.13: Invocation, mm. 48–49 122 Example 5.14: Invocation, mm. 1–5 124 Example 5.15: Invocation, mm. 10–15 125 Example 5.16: Invocation, mm. 27–29 125 Example 5.17: Invocation, mm. 49–50 126 Example 5.18: Invocation, mm. 55–57 126 Example 5.19: Invocation, mm. 1–5 127 Example 5.20: Invocation, mm. 5–10 128 Example 5.21: Invocation, mm. 13–15 129 Example 5.22: Invocation, mm. 21–22 130 Example 5.23: Invocation, mm. 22–28 131 Example 5.24: Invocation, mm. 43–49 132 Example 5.25: Invocation, mm. 49–52 133 Example 5.26: Invocation, mm. 55–57 133 Example 5.27: Invocation, mm. 5–8, viola transcription 135 Example 5.28: Invocation, mm. 37, viola transcription 135 Example 5.29: Invocation, mm. 43–44, viola transcription 136 Example 6.1: Romance, m. 39, viola transcription 139 Example 6.2: Romance, mm. 46–47, viola transcription 139

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Chapter 1: Introduction

For the first few hundred years of its existence, many composers did not view the viola as

a soloistic equal to the violin and cello. Similarly it was not until the 20th century that women

composers gained their due respect. Although women have been writing music for as long as

men, their pursuits were never considered a career option. Likewise, the viola was considered an

integral part of orchestra and chamber ensembles, but was not fully accepted as a solo instrument

until the 20th century. As these two separate groups came into their own at the same time, it is

hardly surprising that their convergence did not occur until the middle of the century. Of course

this makes logical sense - why would a woman, who has to fight to have her compositions

performed and respected, bother to compose for an instrument which was not a popular member

of the string family? Naturally some outliers exist; for example, Beatrice Mattei composed a

Sonata for Viola and Harpsichord in 1740. This is the first documented instance of a woman 1

writing for solo viola. The next occurrence does not happen for another 140 years, when in 1881 2

Luise Adolpa Le Beau composed her Three Pieces for Viola and Piano. In America, the first 3

composition of this type occurred in 1906, when Blanche Blood wrote her Barcarolle. Some 4

may point to Rebecca Clarke’s compositions as the first example of an American woman writing

Carolyn Waters Broe, “Viola Music by Women Composers,” American String Teacher 57, no. 3 (2007): 1

68.

For the purposes of this paper solo viola music will be defined as any piece for either unaccompanied 2

viola, solo viola with orchestra, or viola with a keyboard instrument.

Hillary Herndon, La Viola, Performed by Hillary Herndon and Wei-Chun Bernadette Lo (2012; 3

Newtown, CT: MSR Music), CD.

Blood, Blanche, “Barcarolle for Viola and Piano,” ed. David M. Bynog, American Viola Society, http://4

www.americanviolasociety.org/PDFs/Resources/American-Viola-Project/Blood-Barcarolle.pdf.

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for solo viola. However, although Clarke spent a large portion of her life in the United States, she

was born in England and was living there when she composed many of her works for the viola.

The simultaneous evolution of women composers and the viola means the viola repertoire is left

with significant gaps.

This topic has been explored by many scholars, and a number of people have made

contributions in order to help fill the gaps in the viola literature. Thanks to the work of many

individuals, violists can now enjoy transcriptions of a variety of works spanning a wide range of

composers and time periods. This effort began in the 20th century and has continued into the 21st

century. Viola masters such as Lionel Tertis and William Primrose both transcribed many works

for the viola, especially pieces that add to the advanced viola literature. Lillian Fuchs contributed

by making the first recording of the Bach Cello Suites on viola. It was her violin teacher, Louis 5

Svečenski, who had the first viola edition of these suites published in the United States. Viola 6

World Publications is a firm dedicated entirely to publishing works for the viola. While they

publish many works originally composed for the viola, a glance through their repertoire list

shows that the bulk of their products are transcriptions. In fact, transcriptions have become so

common for the viola that scholars have devoted large portions of their dissertations to the topic.

An example of this is Hsiaopei Lee’s doctoral dissertation, “The History of Viola Transcription

and A Comprehensive Analysis of the Transcription for Viola and Piano of Beethoven’s Violin

Sonata Op. 30, No.1” (2005). Transcriptions have become such a staple in the viola repertoire

that it is difficult to program a solo viola recital without including at least one transcription on

Amédée Daryl Williams, Lillian Fuchs: First Lady of the Viola (Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, 2004), 86.5

Ibid, 91. 6

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the program, especially if one wants to venture outside of the 20th century. Despite these

important additions one noticeable void still remains: compositions by early American women

composers.Very few compositions by this formidable group of women, which includes Amy

Beach, Margaret Lang, Lily Strickland, and Clara Rogers, have been transcribed for the viola.

Of the list above the most notable name is perhaps Amy Beach. She was a trailblazer for

American women composers in a variety of ways. Although she was a prolific composer,

Beach’s output for solo strings was very limited. For the violin her only compositions were the

Violin Sonata, Romance, Invocation, and Three Pieces for Violin and Piano. The latter is a

collection of character pieces. It is worth noting that upon her death there were five additional

manuscripts for a combination of strings and keyboard which were never submitted for

publication. A discussion of why these pieces, not all of which were incomplete, were never 7

published could fill an additional research document. For the purposes of this paper only her

published works will be considered. The Violin Sonata has already been transcribed, recorded,

and written about in detail by other scholars. Yu-Hsien Judy Hung in her doctoral dissertation

titled “The Violin Sonata of Amy Beach” (2005) provides a detailed analysis. Roger Hannay

transcribed the Sonata for viola and it has been published by both Peters and Henmar Press.

Finally, the Klugherz-Timmons Duo produced a recording of this Sonata in 1997 on the Centaur

Records label. However, Beach’s remaining pieces - the Romance, Invocation, and Three Pieces

for Violin and Piano - have never been transcribed for viola. Their transcription is a central

element of this document.

Jeanell Wise Brown, Amy Beach and Her Chamber Music (New Jersey, U.S.A.: Scarecrow Press, 1994), 7

317.

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The purpose of this paper is twofold. While the primary goal is to educate the viola

community about the accessible transcriptions of these wonderful pieces, the secondary goal is to

provide a detailed historical and theoretical analysis. Previously these pieces have received

minimal individual attention. In her book Amy Beach and Her Chamber Music, Jeanell Wise

Brown provides some basic analysis. Yu-Hsien Judy Hung wrote a few pages of analysis on each

piece in her doctoral dissertation titled “The Violin Sonata of Amy Beach” (2005). An in-depth

analysis of these pieces will be a valuable contribution to the scholarly literature. All examples in

this document will be shown in the original key, which will make this analysis accessible to any

violinist or violist wishing to have a deeper understanding of the music. Each analysis chapter

will end with a brief discussion of any changes that were made in the transcription process.

The sixth chapter will detail what purposes these pieces can serve in the viola repertoire,

besides merely filling a void. Each piece offers unique technical challenges which make them

ideal for both studio teaching and performance.

For performers or scholars who may not be familiar with the life of Amy Beach, a brief

biography chapter is included. It is the author’s goal that this document will serve as a valuable

resource to a variety of musicians in the years to come.

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Chapter 2: A Brief Biography of Amy Beach

Amy Beach is one of the most fascinating American women of the late 19th and early

20th centuries. Although most books about Amy Beach have only been published in the last 30

years, during her lifetime she was the subject of numerous articles which have been preserved

and are accessible today. This chapter gives a synopsis of her life, geared towards any reader

who may be unfamiliar with Amy Beach. If further reading is desired the following texts may be

consulted, Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian: The Life and Work of an American Composer,

1867-1944 by Adrienne Fried Block or The Remarkable Mrs. Beach, American Composer by

Walter S. Jenkins. Ms. Block, who lived until 2009, was considered the preeminent Amy Beach

scholar of her time. Mr. Jenkins was a personal friend of Beach whose book is a “biographical

account based on her diaries, letters, newspaper clippings, and personal reminiscences.” Both of 8

these books offer fascinating, yet different, perspectives on Amy Beach.

Before beginning the brief biography of Amy Beach, some attention must first be given

to her name. In this document, all references prior to her marriage will use her maiden name,

Amy Cheney. In all references following her marriage she will be referred to as “Amy Beach” or

“Mrs. H. H. A. Beach” interchangeably. In Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian, Adrienne Block

points out, “a number of people have raised objections to the name ‘Amy Beach’ on the grounds

that she was known after her marriage as Mrs. H. H. A. Beach. That is the truth, but not the

Walter S. Jenkins, The Remarkable Mrs. Beach, American Composer, ed., John H. Baron (Michigan: 8

Harmonie Park Press, 1994) iii.

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whole truth.” Despite her revolutionary life, at heart she was a conservative woman: 9

professionally, she was almost always referred to as Mrs. H. H. A. Beach. Following her

husband’s death in 1910 she attempted to use the name Amy Beach. She published an article in

an American magazine and performed a few concerts in Europe billed under Amy Beach.

However, when the public began to think that Amy Beach and Mrs. H. H. A. Beach were two

separate people (presumably mother and daughter), she realized that her identity was tied to the

more formal title. This did not stop her from using Amy Beach on her bookplates and stationary.

Additionally, in her will she established the Amy Beach Fund, the proceeds of which would

benefit the MacDowell Colony. Therefore, both names are fitting and appropriate for this 10

special pioneering woman.

Amy Cheney was born on September 5th, 1867 in West Hanniker, New Hampshire, to

parents who were multi-generational Americans. Both sides of her family could be traced back to

settlers who arrived in America in the 1630s. At the time of her birth, her father was in the paper

mill business. The place she called home as a young child was a modest farm house, yet it did 11

contain a piano, which was an important symbol of the middle class. Amy Cheney was 12

surrounded by music from birth as her mother and many relatives were musicians of varying

caliber. She showed a musical proclivity from a young age and by her first birthday could hum

Adrienne Fried Block, Amy Beach: Passionate Victorian (New York: Oxford University Press), 1998, x.9

Block, Amy Beach, x. 10

Ibid, 16. 11

Ibid, 4. 12

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forty tunes, always in the key she first heard them. This was a clear sign that Amy Cheney had 13

absolute pitch. Besides having perfect pitch, Amy Cheney had chromesthesia, the association of

colors to keys of music. Initially when Amy would ask for music by color, her mother thought

she was referring to the color on the cover of the music. Mrs. Cheney eventually discovered that

instead, Amy was naming the color she associated with the key of the piece. Amy was a very 14

sensitive child, not only to music but sounds in general. Things such as loud laughter, rain, and

thunder would all move the young child to tears. Consistent with the time period and social 15

expectations, Amy Cheney’s mother put a strict ban on piano playing during Amy’s early years.

This did not stop Amy from participating in music making. “Before Amy was two, when her

mother rocked her to sleep, she exhibited a new skill, that of improvising a ‘perfectly correct alto

to any soprano’ that her mother might sing.” Amy’s musical accomplishments during her first 16

few years of life were nothing short of prodigious.

When Amy was two the paper mill burned down. A year later her father found a job in

Boston. This move proved to be most advantageous for the budding musician. Boston was a 17

musical city, known for being a supportive environment for young musical talents. Thanks to a

visit from her aunt, Amy Cheney was finally allowed to play the piano at the age of four. Beach

later recalled this vivid memory during an interview, “At last, I was allowed to touch the piano.

Amy Beach, “Why I Chose My Profession: The Autobiography of a Woman Composer.” Interview by 13

Edna Aiken. Mother’s Magazine 11 (1914): 7–8.

Block, Amy Beach, 10. 14

Ibid, 4. 15

Ibid, 5. 16

Ibid, 7. 17

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My mother was still opposed, but I can remember my aunt coming to the house, and putting me

at the piano. I played at once the melodies I had been collecting, playing in my head, adding full

harmonies to the simple, treble melodies. Then my aunt played a new air for me, and I reached

up and picked out a harmonized bass accompaniment, as I had heard my mother do.” Amy was 18

known for being a strong willed child and quite frequently her mother withheld the privilege of

playing the piano as punishment. Using the piano, Amy was able to expand her compositions

beyond the voice. Her first piano pieces were composed while spending the summer at her

grandfather’s house. “[W]hen I reached home I told my mother that I had ‘made’ three waltzes.

She did not believe it at first, as there was no piano within miles of the farm. I explained that I

had written them in my head, and proved it by playing them on her piano.” This compositional 19

technique continued throughout her life. Very rarely did she compose at the piano, preferring

instead to compose at her desk.

Amy Cheney began performing on the piano when she was seven. These performances

were given mostly in the private homes of family friends. After one such performance, at least

two concert managers offered contracts to start Amy Cheney on a career as a traveling pianist. 20

Her parents saw no benefit in this lifestyle and promptly turned down all such offers. Later in

life, Amy Beach realized the wisdom in this decision. When Amy was eight, the Cheneys began

looking for an outside piano tutor. Amy’s mother, Clara Cheney, previously taught her. After

playing for many leading Boston pianists, they recommended that Amy travel to Germany for

Beach, “Why I Chose My Profession”, 7. 18

Ibid, 7. 19


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conservatory training. This was standard practice at the time for talented American musicians, 21

as it was believed that one needed European training to succeed. For a variety of reasons,

including the necessary separation of the family, the Cheneys denied Amy the chance to study in

Europe. This decision made Amy “the first American concert pianist to succeed with local

training. Thus she helped demolish the notion that only those trained in a German conservatory

could make a go of it.” Instead she began piano lessons with Ernst Perabo. Amy studied with 22

Perabo from 1876 to 1882 and flourished under his teaching.

At age 11, Amy Cheney spent a year in San Francisco with her aunt, uncle, and younger

cousin. She greatly enjoyed that year, especially spending time with her aunt and cousin. For

Christmas of 1880, she composed a setting of Longfellow’s poem, “Rainy Day” as a present for

her aunt. Three years later, “Rainy Day” was the first piece ever published by Amy Cheney. 23

Upon returning from California, Amy began attending Professor William L. Whittemore’s

preparatory school. Prior to formal schooling, her early education was entirely at home under the

tutelage of her mother. She spent two years studying full time at the school and excelled in every

subject. 24

While at Whittemore’s school Amy Cheney changed piano teachers and began studying

with Carl Baermann. A year later, at age 16, she gave her professional debut as a solo pianist.

The event was immensely successful and the critics showered her with praise. It was considered

Gertrude F. Cowen, “Mrs. H. H. A. Beach, the Celebrated Composer,” Musical Courier 60 (1910): 14. 21

Block, Amy Beach, vii – viii.22

Ibid, 28. 23

Hazel Gertrude Kinscella, “ ‘Play No Piece in Public When First Learned,’Says Mrs. Beach.” Musical 24

America 28 (1918): 9–10.

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a victory that the reviewers did not mention her gender as a potential limitation. Following her 25

debut, she continued to play public recitals regularly for the next two years. The climax of these

years was Amy Cheney’s performances with two of America’s leading orchestras. She played

Chopin’s Concerto in F minor, op. 21 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Mendelssohn’s

Concerto No. 2 in D minor with Theodore Thomas’s orchestra.

As Amy Cheney was now clearly an established pianist in the Boston area, she wished to

turn her attention back to composition. Though she was a naturally gifted composer , women of 26

her time were becoming accepted as performers, but not as composers. After seeking advice on

Amy’s desire to compose, her parents were told she should teach herself by studying the works

of the masters. Amy undertook this task with great enthusiasm. The question has been raised,

however, that if she were a boy, would her parents have received different advice? Equally 27

important to her compositional studies was her relationship with Arthur Schmidt. Schmidt was a

music publisher who strongly believed in supporting American composers regardless of gender.

In fact, he paid the same royalties to female as to male composers. For 25 years, all of Amy 28

Cheney’s compositions were published by his firm shortly after their completion.

Amy’s talents did not escape the attention of eligible bachelors, in particular, Dr. Henry

Harris Aubrey Beach. Dr. Beach, a widower, was a few years older than Amy’s own father, yet

he found himself attracted to Miss Cheney. He was an amateur musician and was fully able to

appreciate her musical talents. On December 2, 1885, Amy Marcy Cheney married Dr. Henry


Ibid, 34. 26

Ibid, 40. 27

Ibid, 41. 28

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Beach. Given the time period, this match may have been one of the best outcomes for Amy

Beach. She became mistress of a prominent home, including multiple servants, allowing her to

focus on her music. One concession made upon her marriage, at her husband’s request, was

turning the focus of her musical life to composition instead of performance. This was following

the custom of the day, which stipulated that it was not proper for married women to perform in

public. She still played the occasional concert with major orchestras, such as her February 1886

performance of the Mozart D minor concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Beach

strongly encouraged her to expand her compositional output to include large scale works, such as

masses, concertos and symphonies. One aspect of their marriage which helped Amy Beach’s 29

career was their lack of children. Although later in life she expressed a wish that she had borne

children, it was probably Dr. Beach who made that decision concerning their marriage. He was

incredibly supportive of her professional life, and was likely concerned that childbirth might

endanger her physical well being, besides taking time away from her music. Although one can

look at her marriage to Dr. Beach in a variety of ways, Amy Beach scholar Adrienne Fried Block

remarks, “If, for her [Amy Beach], marriage was bought at the cost of a professional performing

career, it may also have been a mixed blessing; for those who enjoy and value her music now are

indebted not only to her but also to Henry Beach for his support and encouragement of her work

as a composer, which then took a stellar path.” 30

Amy Beach knew that further compositional study was required, especially if she was to

tackle the large forms encouraged by her husband. Again formal training was denied, so instead

Ibid, 48. 29

Ibid, 53. 30

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she amassed a collection of books on composition, counterpoint, and orchestration, as well as

musical scores. This collection would eventually, in her own opinion , become one of the 31

greatest in America. Boston Symphony concerts, which she regularly attended, provided Amy an

opportunity to study a score during a live performance. Through this highly motivated course of

self study, Amy Beach was able to increase her compositional knowledge and expand the genres

in which she composed. Her first foray into larger genres was her Mass. Its premiere occurred in

1892 with Carl Zerrahn conducting the Handel and Haydn Society. Following the premiere, Julia

Ward Howe, a writer for the Women’s Journal wrote, “[The Mass] made evident the capacity of a

woman’s brain to plan and execute a work combining great seriousness with unquestionable

beauty….Mrs. Beach is, so far as we know, the first of her sex who has given to the world a

musical composition of the first order as to scope and conception.” 32

Though the Mass was a success, Amy Beach was still largely unknown outside of Boston.

This changed as she began receiving professional commissions. The second of these proved to be

vital to her career. The board of lady managers for Chicago’s Columbian Exposition of 1893

asked her to compose a festive piece for the dedication of the women’s building at the fair. 33

Besides the premiere of Festival Jubliate, her compositions were featured on all three concerts

held during the Women’s Musical Congress, which was part of the Columbian Exposition. One

of the pieces composed for these concerts, the Romance for Violin and Piano, marks the first

Ibid, 54.31

Julia Ward Howe, Women’s Journal (February 13, 1892). 32

Jenkins, The Remarkable Mrs. Beach, 30. 33

�13

piece she ever composed for a solo string instrument with piano accompaniment. Details

concerning this piece, including its premiere, will be discussed in Chapter 3.

Between 1893 and 1895 Mrs. H. H. A. Beach worked on a number of compositions and

had a moderately active performing life, including an appearance as the soloist in Saint-Saens’s

Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Boston Symphony. Sadly, 1895 also contained some of her first

personal losses, the deaths of both her father and grandmother. As a result, her mother came to

live with Mr. and Mrs. Beach. Scholars have written about this change as both a blessing and a

curse for Amy Beach. Since her mother was quite capable of running the household, this granted

Mrs. Beach more time to devote to her music. Along with this freedom however came the

constant presence of her mother, as Mrs. Cheney was known for sitting in the room while Amy

was working.

Despite all this, the most important product of the next year was her Gaelic Symphony.

She spent two years writing her four movement symphony. This symphony was written partially

in reaction to Antonín Dvořák’s comments after his stay in America. Dvořák urged American

composers to create authentic American music, which in his opinion should include African and

Native American folk tunes. By contrast, Amy Beach believed “that composers should look to

their own heritage, that ‘[w]e of the North should be far more likely to be influenced by the old

English, Scotch, or Irish songs, inherited with our literature from our ancestors.’” For this 34

reason she titled her symphony the Gaelic symphony, using multiple Irish and Celtic themes

throughout. Additionally, any theme that she composed was in a style consistent with traditional

Block, Amy Beach, 87.34

�14

Irish music. The symphony was premiered by the Boston Symphony in October of 1896. The 35

critics found the piece very enjoyable and it received many positive reviews. Unfortunately, the

critics seemed to focus on this symphony as a measurement of Amy Beach’s ability as a female

composer, rather than recognize the importance of the Irish elements she included. It was years

after its premiere before a critic noticed and commented on the Irish content of the symphony. In

1896, an unnamed writer for the Boston Home Journal called Beach “an epoch maker who has

broken through old boundaries and presented an enrichment and extension of women’s sphere in

art such as has not been surpassed or even equalled by any contemporary of her sex.” Walter 36

Jenkins, a personal friend of Amy Beach wrote, “It was the premiere of the Gaelic Symphony by

the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Emil Paur on 30-31 October 1896 that established her as

a major American composer. This work enjoyed the greatest success of any American symphony

by any composer of Mrs. Beach's generation.” In the end though, as Adrienne Block wrote, 37

“The big news was that a women had written a symphony and one of this country’s leading

orchestras had given its premiere.” 38

Following the Gaelic Symphony, one of her next major pieces was the Sonata for Violin

and Piano, which premiered in January 1897. Almost immediately it enjoyed great success

leading to many performances both then and now. The second European performance was given

on April 4, 1900 by violinist Eugène Ysaÿe and pianist Raoul Pugno. They found the work in a


Unnamed author, attributed by Beach to C. L. Capen, Boston Home Journal, S2 (1896): 26. 36


Block, Amy Beach, 102-103.38

�15

stack of music, happened to read it, and decided to program the Sonata. They claim to not have

realized that the composer was either a female or American. Although the composer’s name

should have appeared as “Mrs. H. H. A. Beach,” there is always a chance it was obscured

somehow, because on the printed programs they listed the composer as “H. A. Beach”. 39

Around the turn of the century, her compositional output included many piano works. In

1900 she composed the Piano Concerto in C# minor, Op. 45 which she premiered with the

Boston Symphony and in 1904 wrote Variations on Balkan Themes. Significant to this document

is her Three Pieces for Violin and Piano, a collection of three character pieces, published in 1898.

Of the three pieces, titled La Captive, Berceuse and the Mazurka, only the Berceuse and La

Captive received their premiere in 1897 by Rudolph Berliner in Chicago. The Mazurka was not

premiered until 1901 by Maud Powell.

Amy Beach’s compositions for choral ensembles constitute an important genre within her

repertoire. The early 1900s saw participation in women’s choruses grow exponentially, which

created a need for music written specifically for women’s voices. Beach was more than happy to

help fill the void. Her music became so central in the repertoire that multiple Choral Societies

were renamed to include Beach’s name in their title.

Despite her considerable aptitude in other genres, Amy Beach was primarily known as a

composer of vocal songs. Throughout her lifetime she created over 150 songs. When she was

frustrated or needed a break from a larger work, she would write a song, a process that normally

took only a few hours. She set poems in English, German, and French from a variety of poets:

Ibid, 122.39

�16

including Shakespeare, Tennyson, Browning, Longfellow, Perronet, Thomas Moore, and her own

husband, Henry Beach. Over the course of their marriage, which lasted 25 years, she set seven of

his poems. The last one she set was in 1910, the year he died at age 66.

Amy Beach’s life began to drastically change with the unexpected passing of her

husband. He suffered a fall and was immobilized for a time to let the muscles and tendons heal.

Unfortunately during the immobilization period he developed an abscess which proved fatal.

While he did leave Amy Beach with some money, it was not enough to ensure a secure future

moving forward. Additionally, Clara Cheney, Amy’s mother, was very ill. For the first time in her

life Beach had to take control and make important decisions. She did so with decisive quickness.

Amy moved herself and her mother into the Hotel Brunswick so Beach could devote herself to

her mother’s care. Early in 1911, Clara Cheney passed away, leaving Beach entirely on her 40

own. She mourned for over a year before she felt capable of returning to performing. During that

year of mourning she planned for the future, relishing her new found freedom. She hired a

concert manager and planned an extended European trip, the first in her life.

Amy Beach left for Europe on her 44th birthday, September 5, 1911. Her traveling

companion was Marcella Craft, the prima donna of the Munich Royal Opera and a close personal

friend. Amy observed a difference in how music was appreciated by European audiences. Years 41

later in an interview, she stated that music in Europe was “universally recognized and respected

Ibid, 177. 40

Agnes Lockhart Hughes, “Mrs. H. H. A. Beach, America’s Foremost Woman Composer,” Boston Times 41

(March 1915), S3.

�17

by all classes and conditions as the great art that it is.” Initially she had planned to stay in 42

Europe for just a year to re-launch her performing career. Yet in the spring of 1912 she decided to

extend her trip another year, as she needed more time to mourn her recent losses. Beach used the

time to travel, and visited the Alps, Berlin, Rome, and Venice. During this time, she hired an

European concert manager; it was this manager who suggested that she use the name “Amy

Beach” instead of “Mrs. H. H. A. Beach.” Due to her well-received performances, demand had

greatly increased in Europe for her compositions. Unfortunately her American publisher,

Schmidt, was unwilling to send over the necessary pieces to fill the orders. Due to this rapidly

souring relationship between Beach and Schmidt, in 1914 the publishing firm of Schirmer took

over the publication of her pieces. 43

Amy Beach’s next significant opportunity came when Theodore Spiering, an American

conductor working with the Berlin Symphony, agreed to program Beach’s works in the

1913-1914 season. The works included the Gaelic Symphony and the Piano Concerto, with

Beach appearing as the soloist. After finishing a successful concert season in 1914, she continued

her travels and spent the summer in Munich. While in Europe Beach took advantage of the easy

traveling options; however, she did not entirely neglect her compositions. During her three years

in Europe her compositional output consisted of eleven songs, six sacred choruses and two large

scale piano works. The most interesting of these was her Prelude and Fugue op. 81 for solo

piano. In this work she created a theme from the letters of her name A-B-E-A-C-H, using a B@

Edwin Hughes, “The Outlook for the Young American Composer: An Interview with the Distinguished 42

American Composer, Mrs. H. H. A. Beach,” Etude 33 (January 1915): 13.


�18

for the B and a B& for the H. This composition is also unique because she composed it at the

piano instead of at a desk, as was her custom. Beach finally left Germany in September of 44

1914, months after World War I had already been declared. She made it back to America safely

and received a warm welcome in Boston following her three year absence.

Upon returning home, Beach realized that Boston was no longer the musical hub it was in

her younger days. New York City had now assumed this role. Although her permanent address

would eventually be in New Hampshire, she spent significant time in New York throughout the

rest of her life. Re-energized from her time in Europe, Beach traveled quite extensively. In

March of 1915 she left the east coast and traveled to California. While she had a number of 45

professional engagements on the west coast, she also wished to reconnect with her closest living

family members, her aunt, uncle, and cousin. A musical highlight of this time included attending

a performance of her Panama Hymn, op. 74, at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in

San Francisco. Additionally, she attended “Mrs. H. H. A. Beach Day” which was held on June

28, 1915 in San Diego at California’s second fair. The following winter she appeared with the

Chicago Symphony in a performance of her Piano Concerto. “For Beach, no performance,

perhaps not even of the ‘Gaelic’ Symphony, offered her the satisfaction of playing her concerto

with a first-rate ensemble like the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.” 46

While living in San Francisco she completed a major work, her Theme and Variations for

Flute and String Quartet. This piece is based on a part song for women’s voices that she

Ibid, 189. 44



�19

composed in 1904. Unfortunately, Beach was not at its premiere in September 1916. Around

August 6th, 1916 she, her aunt, and cousin suddenly left California. The exact reason is unknown,

but the 50 year marriage between her aunt and uncle ended after they left. The three women

traveled back east and made their home in Hillsborough, New Hampshire. During the winters

and springs of 1916 and 1917, Beach traveled quite extensively for various performances.

However, in January of 1918, Beach fired her concert manager, began personally handling all

bookings, and made a drastic announcement:

Mrs. H. H. A. Beach…has decided to devote her energies exclusively to Red Cross and other war relief work until the end of the war. She is available for concerts for these purposes and will present not only her own music, but programs of the music of Allied coun- tries….Those wishing to present Mrs. Beach in concerto or recital for patriotic purposes may make arrangements with her directly at her home, Hillsborough, N. H. For the remainder of this season Mrs. Beach wishes to confine her activities to the New England States. 47

One reason for the sudden changes was the failing health of her cousin, Ethel Clement,

who had a terminal illness. Ethel’s mother, who was 75 years old, was unable to solely provide

the care her daughter needed. Following Ethel’s death in April 1920, Beach continued to turn

down most professional engagements as she provided care for her now ailing aunt.

In 1907 Marian MacDowell, a friend of Amy Beach, established the MacDowell Colony

as an artists retreat, which became a central element for the rest of Beach’s life. “The mission of

The MacDowell Colony is to nurture the arts by offering creative individuals of the highest talent

an inspiring environment in which they can produce enduring works of the imagination.” 48

“Mrs. Beach Will Devote Energies to War Work,” Musical America, 27 (1918): 27. 47

“Our Mission,” The MacDowell Colony, accessed September 23, 2015, http://48

www.macdowellcolony.org/about-Mission.html.

http://www.macdowellcolony.org/about-Mission.html

http://www.macdowellcolony.org/about-Mission.html

�20

Beach first attended in 1921, albeit with some hesitation. While she applauded the mission of the

Colony, she did not feel a strong need in her own life for such a retreat. However, during her first

visit, Beach found the colony provided the stimulation she was missing. In fact, over the next

five years, she composed twice as many pieces as she did in the previous ten. From 1921

forward, every piece she wrote was either sketched or written at the Colony. As the Colony is set

within the natural woodlands of New Hampshire, it should come as no surprise that many of

Beach’s compositions dealt with some aspect of nature. For example, she was a known collector

of bird songs. On her first stay at the Colony, she heard a thrush singing outside her cottage. The

thrush’s song inspired A Hermit Thrush at Eve, and A Hermit Thrush at Morn. For the 49

publication of these works Beach turned back to Schmidt Publishing, as her contract with

Schirmer had expired in 1920. Arthur P. Schmidt passed away in 1921 and afterwards Beach felt

comfortable returning to Schmidt as her primary publisher. Upon returning from her first sojourn

at the MacDowell Colony, Amy Beach felt her presence was needed more at home due to the

health of elderly Aunt. Over the next four years she stayed close to home, making only a few

short performing tours out west.

Since Beach was spending less time traveling, she began to expand her charitable efforts.

This included taking a strong interest in the musical education of children, and helping to found a

“Beach Club” for children in the Hillsborough area. The children assembled at the local library

where their gatherings included a chance to perform for one another. On a regular basis Beach

would arrive and play for them, as well as share stories from her life. She formed a strong bond

with the children. “The children responded to her kindness and warmth and bragged about her

Dorothea Lawson, “Mrs. H. H. A. Beach,” The Colby Voice (October 1921), 8–10. 49

�21

importance as a composer…Sixty years later, surviving club members remembered with pleasure

their trip with Beach to the MacDowell Colony where they visited Edward MacDowell’s grave

and met his widow.” Amy Beach stayed active in supporting her colleagues by joining a variety 50

of organizations founded to promote and encourage women composers. She also assisted in

fundraising efforts for the MacDowell Colony.

Beach’s next European trip occurred in 1926, following the death of her aunt. In a letter

to the Schmidt Publishing Company, she explained that this trip was for “complete rest from

musical work and comparative freedom from responsibility.” While she was in Europe she 51

participated in some small performances, but primarily attended as many concerts as possible.

Upon her return in 1927, she settled into a new routine which included winters in Hillsborough,

the months of June or September (or both) at the MacDowell Colony, and summers in

Centerville. Her home in Centerville remained from her years of marriage to Dr. Beach. They

bought the home in 1895 and the property remained with Beach until she passed away. During

this time she also made many winter tours, especially to the South. In June of 1928 she was

recognized by the University of New Hampshire, and was awarded an honorary Master’s degree.

A few days following the ceremony, she received a phone call from the President of the

University expressing his regret that they had not awarded her an honorary doctorate instead. 52

Another trip to Europe occurred in the winter of 1928–1929. This time she played more public

recitals than during her previous visit, including a significant fundraiser for the American


“The Arthur P. Schmidt Collection,” (Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.) April 27, 1927. 51


�22

Hospital in Rome. She also visited her friend, Marcella Craft in Munich, reliving a portion of her

first trip to Europe. Beach sailed back to America in May of 1929. 53

A big change occurred in 1930, when Beach finally decided to include New York City in

her annual rotation of residences. New York became her winter residence, with her arrival

occurring in November. While there, she rented a studio apartment in the American Women’s

Association Club House where she was a motherly figure for many of the girls. Due to her age,

63, she was allowed to bypass some of the club rules and was permitted to have mixed company

in her studio. She found life in New York invigorating. Her schedule was quite full, as she

enjoyed not only performing and mentoring, but also attending a variety of concerts, especially

ones involving her music. Saint Bartholomew’s became her church home in New York City. She

became close friends with the organist and served as an unofficial composer in residence.

Interestingly, the stock market crash of 1929 helped her regain popularity. Following the

crash, a desire for American music based upon folk tunes resurfaced, a wish which Beach was

easily able to fulfill. During this time she continued her other endeavors, such as raising money

for the MacDowell Colony, and supporting organizations dedicated to the spread of music by

women composers. This led to an appearance at the White House, among other venues. 54

Her final extended concert tour occurred in 1934, which centered around the Century of

Progress Exposition in Chicago. She performed many times during the exposition and also

received awards for her work. After the exposition, due to exhaustion, she cancelled many


“Mrs. Beach Appears in Own Works at White House,” Musical Leader 68 (May 1936): 10. 54

�23

scheduled performances. Following the tour she would play only single concerts, most of them

located near to one of her home bases.

The last half of the 1930s saw a gradual slowing down in the life of Mrs. H. H. A. Beach.

In 1936 she traveled, for the final time, to Europe with her dear friend Ruth Shaffner. Shaffner

had been a vocal soloist at St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York for many years. Amid

controversy she was released from her duties in May of 1936. As a thank you for the years of

service to the church, Beach provided her with an all expense paid trip to England. Once 55

overseas they toured many cathedrals and attended various performances. At this time Beach was

experiencing significant foot issues which limited her ability to tour some of the buildings.

Overall though both women thoroughly enjoyed their trip to England.

A destructive storm rolled through the New England states in 1938 and caused significant

damage to the MacDowell Colony. Of course Beach responded at once, donating some of her 56

own money to the clean up effort and encouraging others to do the same. In 1940 she gave a

performance of her Piano Trio. Although she did not know it at the time, this was to be her last

performance. Shortly after, she became gravely ill with bronchitis and developed a heart

condition which would plague her the rest of her life. During this time she was forced to skip her

annual pilgrimage to the MacDowell Colony. Thereafter she was able to attend very few events

due to her health.

The last year that Beach would be strong enough to spend time at her Hillsborough home

or the MacDowell Colony was 1941. As her strength began to decrease, her life rotated between


“50 Years Ago…Hurricane of ’38 and Winds of War!” MacDowell Colony News 15 (1987-1988). 56

�24

New York and Centerville. Due to her copious number of friends she was very rarely left alone. 57

It is remarkable that while she was forced to end her performing career, she continued

composing. In the last few years of her life she wrote and revised a number of pieces, such as

Prelude on an Old Folk Tune, and Though I Take the Wings of Morning, op. 152. She also

revised her two-hand piano version of the Balkan Variations, among others.

Amy Beach died on December 27, 1944 of heart disease. Her estate continued her 58

charitable contributions and legacy. She left pieces of jewelry given to her by Dr. Beach initially

to the Emmanuel Church in Boston. Her intent was that they be inserted into a chalice or other

vessel for decoration. She included a monetary donation with which to make the piece.

Emmanuel Church turned down this offer, and instead it was given to St. Bartholomew’s. She 59

also set up the “Dr. H. H. A. Beach Fund” at Massachusetts General Hospital. Naturally she did

not forget about the MacDowell Colony who, to this day, receives any money generated by the

music of Amy Beach. Although interest in Beach’s music has waxed and waned over the years,

she still continues to contribute significantly to the colony that meant so much to her life. The

contributions that Amy Beach made to American music cannot be overstated. This pioneering

woman deserves to be studied and to have her music performed for years to come.


“Mrs Beach, Leading Composer Dies at 77,” Musical America 65 (January 1945): 24. 58


�25

Chapter 3 - Analysis of Romance for Violin and Piano, Op. 32

Amy Beach’s first composition for solo violin was the Romance for Violin and Piano, op.

23. It was written and published in 1893. Beach and Maud Powell premiered the Romance at

Chicago’s Columbian Exposition as part of the Women’s Musical Congress. Powell was the first

female American violinist to gain international fame. During her lifetime she was one of the first

champions of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in America and recorded extensively for RCA Victor.

The Romance was popular in Beach’s lifetime, especially with violinist Franz Kneisel. Jeanell

Brown, author of Amy Beach and her Chamber Music, notes that “due to its popularity during

Beach’s life, it may be her most frequently performed chamber work.” Kneisel was originally 60

from Romania, though he spent most of his life in the United States. He was the first head of the

violin department at Juilliard, and performed frequently with his own well-known Kneisel

Quartet. Beach occasionally joined them to perform piano quartets, which is how Kneisel came

to know her music. The Romance is the longest and most complex work for solo violin that

Beach composed, most likely due to Powell’s virtuosity. The analysis below will detail the form,

melodies, textures, and harmonies used throughout the piece.

The melodic origin of this work comes from a previously written song by Beach titled,

“Sweetheart, Sigh No More,” op. 14, no. 3. Her Opus 14 was published in 1890, three years

before she wrote the Romance. Beach and singer Jeanette Dutton performed “Sweetheart, Sigh

No More,” during the final day of the Women’s Musical Congress in Chicago, a day after the

Brown, Amy Beach and her Chamber Music, 166. 60

�26

premiere of the Romance. Adrienne Block observes, “In offering these two compositions, Beach

demonstrated to her colleagues how she developed and expanded a musical idea. The

relationship between the two works, however, was nowhere recognized.” Later on in her book 61

Block also points out, “Its origin in the song…is made clear by the identity of the opening

phrase, which Beach then uses sequentially and developmentally. The appoggiatura-laden violin

melody, together with the pulsating accompaniment, conveys the longing appropriate to a piece

entitled ‘Romance.’” In the original song the vocal line is only given the melodic fragment 62

once, yet the piano plays it multiple times. To see the clear connection compare example 3.1

below from beginning of the song against examples 3.2 and 3.3, which shows the piano and

violin’s first entrances from the Romance.

Example 3.1: Sweetheart, Sigh No More! mm. 1–4


Ibid, 113.62

p dolce

It was with doubt and trem bling- I

Andante

pp

sempre legato

c

c

c

&bbb ∑ ∑

(T.B. Aldrich.)

To H.

Sweetheart, Sigh No More!Mrs. H. H. A. Beach

?bbb &

?bbb

‰ œj œj œj œ ™ œj œ œ Œ œ

‰ œœ œœJ ‰œœœ ‰œœœJ ‰ œœ œœJ ‰

œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ ‰œœ œœ

j ‰œœ œœ

j ‰ œœ œœœj ‰ œœœn œœœb

jœœJÓ ˙ ˙ œ œœ

‰ œ œj ‰ œb œj ‰ œ œj ‰ œb œj

�27

Example 3.2: Romance, mm. 1–2

Example 3.3: Romance, mm. 1–12, violin only

Before moving forward, a few points about the beginning of the song compared to the

beginning of the Romance. First, the very first note heard in both is sol . Also, while the voice 63

In this paper the solfege system used will be based upon moveable do and la based minor. 63

Violin

Piano

Andante espressivo

pp

Andante espressivo

44

44

44

&### ∑ ∑

Romance Mrs. H. H. A. Beach

?### &

?###

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ ‰ ‰œ# œ œ œ œ œ œœJÓ Œ œœ œ œ œ ™˙ œj

Violin

pp

Andante espressivo

9

44&### 4

Romance Mrs. H. H. A. Beach

&###

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œj œ ™ œj œ Œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ œJ œ Œ

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ™ œ

�28

starts on do, the violin starts on sol, which means that while the pitches in the melodic line are

similar their function within the key is not. For example, in the original song the fourth note of

the vocal line is sol, clearly not a dissonant note within the key. However the violin’s fourth note

is re, which is a dissonant note within an A major tonic harmony. Beach appropriately resolves

the re down to do, treating it as an appoggiatura. In the following measure she turns the do into a

suspension which ultimately resolves to ti (example 3.12).

The Romance is in ternary form, which Beach seemed to favor in compositions for the

solo violin. She used this form in her Berceuse and Mazurka, which will be discussed in the

following chapter. Each major section of the Romance contains a four measure piano interlude, a

characteristic which helps to clarify the form. The A section runs from mm. 1–29, the B section

from mm. 29–75 and A’ from mm. 75–end.

There are multiple ways to analyze the phrasing of the A section. If more weight is given

to melodic considerations than harmonic then the melody could be divided into three phrases. In

that instance the first phrase runs from mm. 5–12, the second phrase from mm. 13–22, beat 2,

and the third phrase from 22, beat 3–29. Beach uses the borrowed melodic fragment in a

modified sequence throughout the first phrase. The use of the term modified refers to the

continuous intervallic expansion between the bottom and top pitches of each iteration. Observe

the violin in example 3.3. In the first instance the interval is a fifth (E–B), the next repetition is a

sixth (F#–D) and the final statement is a seventh (A–G#). The second phrase is an octave higher

than the first phrase. However, starting with the B# in m. 16, she catapults the violin into the

�29

upper register. The third phrase starts with the same notes as the second phrase, although it is

rhythmically displaced by two beats (end of example 3.4).

Example 3.4: Romance, mm. 13–23, violin only

Of course melody is not the only factor when deciding phrase divisions. Looking from a

purely harmonic standpoint while the division between the first and second phrases remains

clear, the third phrase could be seen as starting in m. 21. In this particular section her key center

is C# minor and m. 21 is the resolution of a very prolonged dominant/cadential Ĺ starting in m.

16.


cresc.

15

cresc.

# 6° * V7con Pedale

i6$

&###

&###

?###C minor: N

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ œ#J œ œ ™ œ w

œœœ œ œ œ œ œœ œ ‰ œ œ œ# œ#J œ œœ œ ‰ œ œn œ œœ ™™ œJ

œjœœ œœ œœœ œœœJ œj

œœœ# œœœ œœœ œœJ œjœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœJ

p cresc. animato

13

f sostenutopoco a poco dim

19

&###”“

&### >>> >“< > 3

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ œJ œ Œ ‰ œ œ œœ ™ œJ œ ™ œ#J œ œ ™ œ w œ œ# œ œ‹J œ# œ ™ œ

w œ œn œ# œ# œ# œ œn œ œ ˙ œJ œœ# ™ œn ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œn œJ

�30

Example 3.5: Cont.

Evidence for m. 21 as the start of the third phrase also includes the overall melodic

motion. From the start of the second phrase Beach is continually ascending in the violin’s

register until the G# in m. 21, and then she gently descends until the end of the A section.

Naturally a third possibility would be to consider all the points above, and interpret mm. 13–29

as one long second phrase with a midway point around m. 21.

animato f

18

animato

V7 i6$ V7

sostenutopoco a poco dim

21

sostenuto poco a poco dim

I

&### > > >3”“

&###> > > > >

?###

&###>“< >

&###

?###

œ œ# œ œ‹J œ# œ ™ œ w œ œn œ# œ# œ# œ œn œ œ

‰œn œ# ˙ œ œ œ# œœJ œ œ œ œœJ

œ# œn œ# œœ#n œ œn œ œ ™ œœJœJ

œjœœœ# œœœ œœœ œœJ œj

œœœ œœœ œœ œœJ œjœœ œœ œœ# œœJ

˙ œJ œ œ# ™ œn ˙ œ œ œ œ

˙# ˙n ˙ ˙

œjœœœ# œœœJ œ# j

œœœn œœœJ œjœœœ œœœJ œj

œœœ œœœJ

�31

Throughout the A section the melodic fragment is used not only at the beginnings of the

major phrases. She frequently incorporates the pattern of three scalar notes, whether ascending or

descending, such as in mm. 20 and 21 (example 3.4). As this section is unwinding Beach

includes the figure in mm. 25 and 26.


Other than the very beginning, the piano is never again prominently featured playing the

main melodic fragment in the A section; however, that does not mean the piano part is devoid of

it all together. The first instance is in mm. 13–14 when the piano is doubling the violin at an

octave lower (example 3.7). The second and third times happen in mm. 17 and 19 (example 3.8).

Both times the piano is playing the expanded version first seen in m. 9 (example 3.3) of the

violin.

25

&###. . .

&###

?###

˙ œ œ œ ™ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ

œœœœ ˙ œ ‰ ™ œ œ œ œ œœJ

œjœœœ# œœœ œœœ ˙

œœJ ‰ œ œ œ ™ œ ‰œJ

�32


Example 3.8: Romance, mm. 17-19

Once the violin enters in m. 5, the piano introduces a new texture that lasts the entire A

section. This texture consists of the bass voice, which supplies the downbeat, followed

immediately by syncopated quarter notes in the chordal accompaniment. The right hand of the

piano varies throughout. Sometimes it plays a complementary line to the violin (example 3.9),

assists in the syncopated quarter notes (example 3.10) or provides half note chords (example

3.11).

cresc. animato f

17

animato

&###”“

&###> > > >

?###

w œ œ# œ œ‹J œ# œ ™ œ w

‰ œ œn œ œœ ™™ ‰œJ œn œ# ˙ œ œ œ# œœJ œ œ œ œœJ

œ# œn œ#œJ

œjœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœJ œj

œœœ# œœœ œœœ œœJ œjœœœ œœœ œœ œœJ

p

13

° * ° *

&###

&###

?###

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ œJ œ Œ

œœ œ œ œ œ ™ œj ˙œ œ œ œ œ ™ œjœJ ˙ œn œ œ

œjœœ œœ œœ œœJ œœ#

j œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœJ

�33



p

13

I° * ° * ° *

&###

&###

?###

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ œJ œ Œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ

œœ œ œ œ œ ™ œj ˙œ œ œ œ œ ™ œjœJ ˙ œn œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œœ œ

œjœœ œœ œœ œœJ œœ#

j œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœJ œjœœ œœ œœœ œœœJ

8

° *

&###

?### &

?###

œ ™ œJ œ Œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ

‰œœœn œœœ œœœn œœœ

j ‰ œœœ œœœj ‰ œœ œœJ

wÓ ‰ œ œj œj œ œj œj œœœ œœœj

�34


The Romance is in A major when viewed as a whole. However, the first four measures

are somewhat ambiguous. A major is not firmly established until the violin enters in m. 5, just

after an authentic cadence set up in m. 4. This first section begins with a tonic pedal. The use of

pedal tones is a feature Beach seems to favor in her compositions. She also prominently used a

tonic pedal in her Invocation, Berceuse, and the Mazurka. The first phrase (from mm. 5–12) is

diatonic and its important harmonies are I (m. 5); IV (m. 9) iiĿ (m. 10) and ĩ–I (mm. 12–13). A

final feature to point out is the voice exchange in mm. 11–12 between the bass and alto of the

piano.

poco a poco dim

22

poco a poco dim

&###

&###

?###

˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œn œJ ˙ œ œ# ™ œ#˙ ˙ ˙nn ˙ ˙nnn ˙###

œjœœœ œœœJ œj

œœœ œœœJ œjœœœœn œœœœJ œj

œœœ œœœJ œ# jœœœnn œœœJ œj

œœœ#n œœœJ

�35


pp

4

pp

V7 I

&### ∑

&####

?

?###A major:

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œj œ ™ œj œ Œ

‰œ œœ œ ™œœ œœ œ ™ œœJ œœ œœ œœ œœJ ‰ œœœ# œœœ œœœ œœœJœJ

˙ ˙œ œ œ œ w w7

IV6$ I ° *

&###

?### &

?###

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ œJ œ Œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ

‰ œœœ œœ œœœ œœœJ ‰œœœn œœœ œœœn œœœ

j ‰ œœœ œœœj ‰ œœ œœJ

w wÓ ‰ œ œj œj œ œj œj œœœ œœœ

j

p

10

ii7° * V7 I° *

&###

&### #?###

œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ™ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ

‰œ œœ ˙ œJ ‰ œœ# œœœJ ‰ œœ œJ ‰œ œn œJ ‰œ œ œ œn œœJ ‰œ œ œœJ œœ œ œ œ œ ™ œjœ œ œ œ

˙ ˙œ œœ œ œœ ‰ œ œœj ‰ œ œ# œœ œ œœ œ wœj ‰ œ œ œn œjœjœœ œœ œœ œœJ

�36

The first half of the second phrase (mm. 13–23) begins in A major with a tonic pedal.

After three measures the pedal descends a half-step to a G# before eventually ascending to C# in

m. 21. The G# pedal in mm. 16-20 functions as the dominant of C# minor. The motion to C#

minor (from A major) illustrates Beach’s use of mediant key relationships, a common feature in

her music. She sets up the key change via a pivot chord in m. 15, a IV in A major which is the

Neapolitan of C# minor. An unusual feature in m. 15 is that the Neapolitan chord occurs in

second inversion. Throughout the section in C# minor she uses a long dominant pedal over which

alternate ĩ and ġĹ. The ġĹ provides tension during these measures of dominant prolongation. In

m. 21 there is finally a resolution; however, she resolves to a C# major chord instead of the

expected C# minor.


cresc.

15

cresc.

#IV6$

6$° * V7con Pedale

i6$

&###

&###

?###

CA major:

minor: N

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ œ#J œ œ ™ œ w

œœœ œ œ œ œ œœ œ ‰ œ œ œ# œ#J œ œœ œ ‰ œ œn œ œœ ™™ œJ

œjœœ œœ œœœ œœœJ œj

œœœ# œœœ œœœ œœJ œjœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœJ

�37

Example 3.13 Cont.

The rest of the second phrase (mm. 21–29) contains a repeating bass line of C# – B – G –

F# – A – A# – B. The A# in m. 21 is a chromatic neighbor note. Above the bass line she uses the

same chords with each repetition. Although the chords throughout this section are highly

chromatic they do function within a diatonic framework. For example, the C# major chord on the

downbeat of m. 21 is a modally borrowed tonic chord. Starting in m. 21 she also begins the

transition from the key area of C# minor to E major. The chord on beat three of m. 21 is a pivot

chord functioning as viĵ in C# and viiĵ/V in E major. This moves to iĹ in E, which functions as

a cadential Ĺ, although its resolution to V is delayed until the second half of m. 24. Also in mm.

animato f

18

animato

V7 i6$

&###”“

&###> > > >

?###

œ œ# œ œ‹J œ# œ ™ œ w

‰œn œ# ˙ œ œ œ# œœJ œ œ œ œœJ

œ# œn œ#œJ

œjœœœ# œœœ œœœ œœJ œj

œœœ œœœ œœ œœJ

sostenuto

20

sostenuto

V7 I

&### > > > >“< >3

&### >

?###

œ œn œ# œ# œ# œ œn œ œ ˙ œJ œ œ# ™ œn

œœ#n œ œn œ œ ™ œœJ ˙# ˙n

œjœœ œœ œœ# œœJ œj

œœœ# œœœJ œ# jœœœn œœœJ

�38

23–25 there is an interesting chord progression consisting of a modally borrow iiĵ (m. 23 beats

3–4), to an inverted Ɖ (m. 24 beats 1–2), to a B13 (m. 24 beats 3-4) and ultimately an E 64

major chord in m. 24. In this progression both the iiĵ and the Ɖ are functioning as

predominants, while the Bΰ is the dominant chord to E. As noted above while these chords are

all very chromatic in nature they also have a clear function within the diatonic framework.

Example 3.14: Romance, mm. 21-29

The use of the term inverted, when applied to an augmented sixth chord, refers to when the raised ą is 64

in the bass instead of the lowered ć. This causes the interval between the two notes to be spelled as a diminished 3rd instead of an augmented 6th.

sostenutopoco a poco dim

21

sostenuto poco a poco dim

# I vi 7vii 7/V I6$ ii¯7

&###>“< >

&###

?###C minor:

E major:

˙ œJ œ œ# ™ œn ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œn œJ

˙# ˙n ˙ ˙ ˙nn ˙

œjœœœ# œœœJ œ# j

œœœn œœœJ œjœœœ œœœJ œj

œœœ œœœJ œjœœœœn œœœœJ œj

œœœ œœœJ

24

+ 6 V1 3 I6$ vi I6$

&###. . .

&###

?###Gr

˙ œ œ# ™ œ# ˙ œ œ œ ™ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ

˙nnn ˙### œœœœ ˙ œ ‰ ™ œ œ œ œ œœJ

œ# jœœœnn œœœJ œj

œœœ#n œœœJ œjœœœ# œœœ œœœ ˙

œœJ ‰ œ œ œ ™ œ ‰œJ

�39

Example 3.14: Cont.

`

The B section is organized into three distinct parts based upon differences of melodic

content, textures and harmonic progressions. These three sections are from mm. 29–43, mm. 43–

55, and mm. 55–73. Note the use of the opening melodic fragment in the piano interlude in mm.

29 and 31 (example 3.15). Throughout the first part of the B section, Beach alternates between

virtuosic writing and long, lyrical melodic lines. Her virtuosic writing is characterized by faster

rhythmic values and rapid changes in register. During the lyrical sections the primary melodic

motive features prominently in both the violin and piano lines. The piano texture in the lyrical

sections is one of the key differences between the A and B sections. Constant eighth note motion

serves as the foundation for much of the B section. This can clearly be seen in example 3.15. In

m. 39 there is another virtuosic figure in the violin, very similar to what was heard in m. 33. Both

of the virtuosic figures occur over fully diminished seventh chords which serve as pivot chords

to the new key areas, a feature that will be discussed at length later in the chapter.

pp

27

pp

ii¯7+ 6 V1 3 I

&### poco rit a tempo

&###poco rit a tempo

?###Gr

poco marcato

˙n œj œn œj ˙n œ œ ˙ ™ Œ

‰œ œœn ˙ œœ œ œ œœJ ‰n œœœnn œœœJ ‰# œœœ# œœœjœœ œœ œœ œœjœœœJ

‰ œ œ ˙ œ œj ˙# œ œœ œ œ œ œ# œ ™ œJ

�40

Example 3.15: Romance, mm. 29–43 65

CTĳ in the examples above stands for a common tone diminished seventh chord. This is a reinterpreted 65

diminished seventh chord which while spelled correctly in one key area, is misspelled in the alternate key. In m. 39 above the D# and F# are correct for the new key area of F# major, but are misspelled for F major.

f sf animato

32

animato

iv6 vii

f

°7°7

&### ∑ .>

&### >

?###

F major: CT/IV

>

‰ œJœn œ ™

J œ œn œ ™ œ œ

‰ œœ œœJ ‰œ œ œ‹ œ œœœ œ œ œ œœœœn ‰™ œœœn

r˙

œJ˙n œœn ™™ œœœJ

œœœn ‰™ œœr˙

29

cresc.

I

&### a tempo ∑ ∑

&### a tempo #

?###E major:

poco marcato

˙ ™ Œ

œœœjœœ œœ œœ œœj

‰ œœ œœj ‰ œœ œœj ‰ œœœœ œ œ œ ™œœ œjœœJ

œ œ œ œ# œ ™ œJ œ ™ œJ œ œ ˙ ˙#

�41

Example 3.15 Cont.

36

cresc.

V7 I

&###cresc.

&### . . . . . . . . .

?### . . . . . . .&

˙n œJ œ œJ œ Œ ‰ œn œ œ

œœœnnn œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœb œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœnnJ œœ œœn œœ œœJœœn œœ œœb œœ œœn œœ œœ œœn œn œn œ œ œn ™ œnJ

mf

34

mf

+6 6$

&###

&### . . . . . . . . .. . . .

?### . .Gr Cad

. . . . . . . . . . .

œ ™J œ œ ˙n œ œ œ œJ œn œ œ

œœœ# œœ#n œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœnn œœ œœ œœ# œœ œœ œœ œœœn

œœœœ œœ œœ œœ œœb œœ œœn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

f

38

f

#°4£°7

&###. >”“

&### >

&###

FF major: major:

viiCT

/IV

? >

œn ™ œnJœ ™ œnJ œnJ ‰ œ œ ™J œ# œ# œ# ™ œ œ#

‰ œœn œœnJœœbJ

œœ œœ œœ œœœœ##n ‰™ œœœ##r˙

œb ™ œj œœœnnj

œœœ œœœ œœœn œœœn# ‰™ œœ##r˙

�42

Example 3.15 Cont.

The second section within B starts on the downbeat of m. 43 at the perfect authentic cadence in

F# major. For the first eight measures of this section, the piano has its longest melodic statement

of the piece. The bass voice of the piano also contains the same rhythmic and melodic figure that

the violin played in mm. 33 and 39. In example 3.17 below, notice the primary melody in the

upper voice of the piano with the contrasting figure in the bottom voice. From mm. 43–52 both

the piano and the violin have important melodic content, which contrasts with the first section of

con passione

40

+ 6 6$

&###

&### . . . . . . . . . . . . . .?### . .

Gr Cad

. . . . . . . . . . . .

œœ œ# œ# œ# œ œ ™ œ œ ™ œJ œ œ# œ œ œ# œ#

œœœ<#> œœn œœ# œœn œœ# œœn œœ# œœ œœ# œœ œœ‹ œœ# œœ œœ œœœ

œœ<#><#> œœ# œœ œœ œœ œœn œœ œœ# œœ œœ œœ œœ# œœ œœ œœ

dim e più tranquillo p

42

dim e più tranquillo

V7 I

pp

° *

&###

&### . . . . . . . . # # #

?### . . . . . . . .

˙ œJ œ# œJw

œœœ# œœœ œœœ# œœœ œœœn œœœ œœœ## œœœ ‰ œjœJ œ œ œ ™œ œ œjœ œ œ œ

œœ# œœ œœn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

�43

B. Starting in m. 51 the violin begins to descends in register for the start of the third section in

B, which begins at m. 55.


p

43

pp

° *45

° *

&### .

&### # # # # #

?###

&###

&### # ## nn?###

w œ œ œ# ™ œJ

‰ œjœJ œ œ œ ™œ œ œj œ ™œ œ œ œ œj œœœ œœ œœ œœ Œœœ œœ œœ œœ

œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ™™ œ œ œ ™ œ œ# œ œ œ œœ

w œ œ# œ ™ œ#J

‰ œœ#J œœ# œœ œ ™ œj œ ™œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœj

œœœ œœœ œœœ# œœœ

œœœ# œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ# ™™™ œ œ# œ ™ œ# œ œ œœœ œœœ œœœ

�44

Example 3.16: Cont.

The third major section within B is distinguished by a sudden change in the piano texture.

In m. 55 the piano has a single line consisting of an arpeggiated fully diminished seventh chord.

The legato triplets are a drastic change from the staccato eighth notes of the previous section.

This continuous stream of triplets, which shows an increase in rhythmic activity, continues until

m. 63. Then the piano switches to a dotted eighth/sixteenth note pattern (example 3.18), which is

a development of the piano rhythm found in mm. 33 and 39 (example 3.15).

molto espressivo

47

° * ° *

&###”“

&### . . . . ## # ## #

?###.

&. .

. . . .

˙# œJ œ œJ œ# œ œJ œ œJ œ# œ œ œ# œ œ#

œœœ##Jœ ™œœ œœ œœ œœJ

œj ˙œœ œœ œœ ˙œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ ˙œœ œœ œœ œœ œ ™œœ œœ œœ œœ œjœ œ œ œœœœJœ œ

œ# œœœ#jœœœ œœœ œœœ œ œ œ# œ# œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ# œ# œ œ œ# œ

50

&###

&#### # #. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .

&### n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

œ œ œ œ# œ œ# ™ œJ ˙# œ œ œ ™ œ ˙ œ œ œn ™ œ#œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œœ# œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœnn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œœ œœ# œœ œœ œœ# œ œ# œ# œ œ œ œn œn œn œ œ œ œ œ œn

�45


Example 3.17 Cont.

In this section Beach uses the primary melodic motive to create a sense of urgency. She

begins by using it at the end of each measure (mm. 59–60) and then switches to every other beat

(m. 61). This creates a sense of building that is completed at the C#7 in m. 62. Not only is this 66

the highest violin note of this section, but it is also marked with the loudest dynamic of the piece

thus far. Additionally, she increases the density of the texture in the piano by splitting the activity

In this document the numerical octave designation will follow the standard of the Acoustical Society of 66

America which classifies middle C as C4.

pagitato

55

pp

° *

&### 3

&###

?### ∑

w# œ œ# œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ

Œœn œ# œ œn œn œ# œ œn œn œnJ ‰ Œ Ó

œ œ œn Œ Ó

f

57

mf

° *

&### 3

&###

?### ∑

w œ œ# œ œ œ œn œ œ œ

Œ œ# œ œ œn œ# œ œ œn œ# œJ ‰ Œ Ó

œ œ œn Œ Ó

�46

between the hands (mm. 59–60) then combining them (m. 61) to swell the music to fortissimo.

The overall increase in rhythmic activity, textural density, dynamics, and use of the melodic high

point all make the climax of the B section very clear.


Following the climax of the B section (the C#7), Beach uses the primary melodic motive

to relax the register and character through a descending sequence starting in m. 64. The final

repetition of the sequence occurs in m. 69 where Beach writes for the lowest register of the

violin. She also marks for m. 69–71 to be played sul G. This technique leads to a darker, deeper

sound than if the violinist had been permitted to switch between the G and D strings. To

accel.

59

accel.

con Pedale

&###3 3 3

&###

?###

œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Œ œ œœ œ Œ œ œœ œ Œ œ œœ œ Œ œ œœ œ ‰ œ œœœ ‰ œ œœœ ‰ œ œœ ‰ œ œœ

œ# œ# œ Œ œ œœ Œ œ œ

œ Œ œ œœ Œ œ œ

œœ# œ œ œ œ

œœ# œ œ

ff sostenuto

62

sostenuto

°

&###”“

&###

?### & ? &

œn œ œJ œ œJ ˙ ™ œ

‰ œ œœ ‰ œ œœ ‰ œœ œœ œœJ ‰ ‰ ‰™ œœœr œœœ ™™™

œœœ ˙

œ œ œœ# œ œ

œ œœœ œœ œœJ ‰ ‰œœ ™™ œœœ œœœ ™™™ œœœ ˙

�47

conclude the B section, the piano part is at its simplest rhythmically and texturally with primarily

half notes and occasional moving eighth notes.


64

dim.

* ° *

&### - - - - - -

&###

&### ? & ?

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ ˙ ™ œ ‰ œ œ œ œn ™ œnJœœœJ ‰ Œ Ó ‰™ œœœnn œœœ ™™™

œœœn ˙ œœœJ ‰ Œ Ó

œœœj ‰ Œ Ó œ ™ œœœœœœ ™™™ œœœ ˙ œœœ

j ‰ Œ Ó

espressivo

67

p p

&### sul D sul G

- - -&### ∑ ∑

?### ∑ ∑

˙n ™ œn œ œn ™ œn ˙ œnœ œ œn œn ™ œj ˙n ™ œn

‰™ œœn œœ ™™ œœn œœ Œ Ó ˙n

œ# ™œœ#n œœ ™™ œœ œœ Œ Ó ˙##

mf p

71

pp

° * °

&###

&### &

?###

w œ œ œ ™ œn j w

˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙n ˙# œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ Ó Ó ˙nn œœ# œ œ œ Ó

�48

Harmonically, the B section begins in E major. In m. 32 she uses a modally borrowed A

minor chord (iv) to precede a G# fully diminished seventh chord, through which she will

modulate to F major. The important tonal centers in mm. 35–45 are F major (mm. 35–38) and F#

major (mm. 39–45). These tonal centers are established by the same progression, a CT ĳ-Ɖ-

Cadential Ĺ- ĩ-Ġ. The first progression appears in mm. 32–37 and the second in mm. 39–43. The

final parallel is the violin melody in mm. 34–36 and mm. 40–42. All of the measures for this

paragraph are covered in example 3.15.

Example 3.15 is a good illustration of Beach’s use of chromaticism. Many chromatic

notes occur, especially in mm. 34–36 and 40–42, yet these notes almost always have a diatonic

function. For example, in m. 34, the B in the top voice of the piano functions as a neighbor note

for most of the measure until the end where it becomes a passing tone. The same thing occurs in

m. 35 as the top voice in the piano contains a variety of non chord tones which all have a clear

function. The B is a neighbor note, the C# a chromatic passing tone and FĚ at the end of the

measure is an appoggiatura that resolves on beat four of m. 36. Although Beach uses

chromaticism extensively within this passage it is important to note the underlying harmonic

progression, which the chromatic notes only decorate. This is a contrast to the linear

chromaticism seen in composers such as Wagner and Chopin. In those cases the notes are

moving chromatically, in a similar fashion to the example above, however without a clear

underlying diatonic progression. One of the clearest examples of this is from Chopin’s Prelude in

E minor. It begins on a ġĸ chord, however the next chord serving a clear diatonic function within

the progression does not occur until m. 9. This is followed in m. 12 by a half cadence. While

some of the chords in-between could be assigned a roman numeral, they do not function within a

�49

conventional tonal progression. This is the difference between Chopin’s linear chromaticism and

the chromaticism that Beach chose to use when writing the Romance.

Example 3.20: Frédéric Chopin’s Prelude in E Minor, mm. 1–12

&#>

?#

˙ ™ œn ˙ ™ œ ˙ ™ œ ™ œ ˙ ™ œ#œœœn œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ# œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœn œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœn œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ

iv6 V

&#> 3

?#

œ<#> œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ™ œ ˙ ™ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œn œ œœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ# œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ# œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ# Œ Ó

espress.

Largo

i6

C

C

&#

Prelude 4 in E MinorChopin

?#E minor:

∑œ ™œ ˙ ™ œ ˙ ™ œ ˙ ™ œ ˙ ™ œb

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœb œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœnb œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ# œœœ œœœ# œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœn œœœ œœœ# œœœ

�50

In mm. 55–58 there is an arpeggiation of an A#ĳ chord (example 3.17). This is an

expansion of the use of the fully diminished seventh chords seen throughout this piece, most

recently in m. 39 (example 3.15). In the next section the music very temporarily tonicizes B

minor. The A#ĳ functions as Įĳ of the new key area. In mm. 57–62 the bass notes move

chromatically from the E of the A#ĳ up a 9th to F#, the dominant of B. The rhythm of this ascent

speeds up gradually throughout these measures. At first the bass note movement is two measures

apart in mm. 57–59. Then it is two beats apart in mm. 59–60 and finally it moves on every beat

in mm. 61–62. This all resolves in m. 63, where there is a B minor chord with an added seventh.

The added seventh indicates that while this is a point of arrival, it is also a point of departure.

This arrival in m. 63 also coincides with the change in rhythm as noted earlier.


faccel.

57

accel.

vii °7

mf

° * con Pedale

&### 3

3

&###

?###

B minor:

∑

w œ œ# œ œ œ œn œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ

Œ œ# œ œ œn œ# œ œ œn œ# œJ ‰ Œ Ó Œ œ œœ œ Œ œ œœ œ

œ œœn Œ Ó œ# œ# œ Œ œ œ

œ Œ

�51

Example 3.21: Cont.

Throughout mm. 67–75 there is a prolonged dominant preparation for the eventual return

to A major. Beach mostly alternates between chromatic chords (which still have a diatonic

function) and E major. This passage contains an unusual resolution of a Ɖ. In m. 74 there is a

traditionally spelled Ɖ, with E as the tonic pitch. However, instead of resolving to the

dominant B major, or a ĠĹ, it resolves directly to a root position E major triad.

ff sostenuto

62

sostenuto

v 7°

&###”“

&###

?### & ?i

&

œn œ œJ œ œJ ˙ ™ œ

‰ œ œœ ‰ œ œœ ‰ œœ œœ œœJ ‰ ‰ ‰™ œœœr œœœ ™™™

œœœ ˙

œ œ œœ# œ œ

œ œœœ œœ œœJ ‰ ‰œœ ™™ œœœ œœœ ™™™ œœœ ˙

60

&###3 3

&###

?###

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Œ œ œœ œ Œ œ œœ œ ‰ œ œœœ ‰ œ œœœ ‰ œ œœ ‰ œ œœ

œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œœ# œ œ œ œ œ

œ# œ œ

�52


A unique aspect of the final interlude, which begins in m. 75, is the addition of the

violin’s pedal tone. The interlude, from mm. 75–78, is a continued dominant preparation for the

return to A major. There is one measure of C# minor (m. 77), showing Beach’s preference for

third relationships.

p pp

72

pp

*y III

° *+ 6 V° *

&###

&###

?###Gr /E

∏∏∏∏∏∏

œ œ œ ™ œn j w œ œ œ ™ œn j ˙ ™ Œ

˙ ˙n ˙# œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙n œœœ# œ œ œ# œœ œ œœ œ

Ó ˙nn œœ# œ œ œ Ó Ó˙#n œœœ

# œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ

espressivomf

67

p

+ 6

p

V°

&### sul D sul G

- - -&### ∑ ∑ &

?###

A major: Gr

∑ ∑

˙n ™ œn œ œn ™ œn ˙ œnœ œ œn œn ™ œj ˙n ™ œn w

‰™ œœn œœ ™™ œœn œœ Œ Ó ˙n ˙ œ œ œ œ

œ# ™œœ#n œœ ™™ œœ œœ Œ Ó ˙## œ œ œ

œ Ó

�53


The A’ section can be divided into two major sections. Mm. 75–105 make up the first

section and then 105–end constitute the second section. This division is made clear by a variety

of factors. First, there is a very clear perfect authentic cadence in A major. Secondly, there is a

ritenuto molto leading into m. 105 and an a tempo at m. 105. Thirdly, the melody passes to the

piano with the violin merely playing a long held note, which is a change from the previous

phrase. Finally, there is also a diminuendo at m. 105 which marks the beginning of the end.

Throughout the entire final section there is not a single dynamic marking above piano.

pp p

75

poco ritpp

V° * V=° * iii° * V7

&### ∑

&### . . . . . . . . . . . . .

?###A major:

∏∏∏∏∏∏ & . . .. . . .

. . . . .

˙ ™ Œ w ˙ ™ œ

œœœ# œœ œ# œœœ œœ œ œœ# œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œœœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ

œœœ# œ# œ œœœ œ œ œ œœ# œœ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ wœ œ œ œ œ œ œœ

�54


Melodically the first part of A’ begins with an eight measure phrase in the violin line

followed by the piano having the melody in the top voice. It can be hard to see the melody in the

piano so the note heads below have been altered to draw attention to the melodic notes.


mf cresc.

87

legatocresc.

con Pedale

&### Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“< >

&### > >

3 3

?###3 3

w w# w

‰ œœ Oœ Oœ# œœ OœOœ œœ œ œœ œ Oœ Oœ œœ œ œœ œ O Oœ œœ œœ# œœ œœn œœ ‰ œœn Oœ Oœ œœ

OœnOœ œœ œ œœ œ Oœ

œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ ‰

œœ œ œœ œ œœ

riten. molto

a tempo103

riten. molto a tempodim.

I6$ V7 Imarcato

&### - - - - -3

&###

?###

A major:

œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ ˙ ™ œ w‰ œœ# œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ ‰ œœœn œœœœœœœœœœœœ

‰ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

œœnn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œœ œ

œ œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ ‰ œ œ œœ œ œœJ

�55

Example 3.25: Cont.

The A’ section begins with the primary texture of B (constant staccato eighth notes), but

using a register in the piano accompaniment yet unexplored in the piece. This section is beautiful

in the contrast between the violin and piano’s registers. It allows the violin melody to be fully

heard beneath the delicate sounding chords in the piano’s upper register.


f con passione

90

f

&###Ÿ< >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3

“< >

&### > > > ”“

?###

w œ‹ œ œ ™ œJ œ œ œ œ# œ

Oœ œn œ œ œ Oœ œ œœ Oœ œœ œœ œ œœ OœOœœ

Oœ Oœœ œœO

œ œ œœn œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ# œ# œœ œ œœ œ

a tempo dolciss.

pp

79

pp a tempo simile

con Pedale

&###

&### . . .. . . .

”“

&### . . . . . . . .

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œj œ ™ œj œ Œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ# œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœn œœ# œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

�56

The start of the A’ section employs more chromatic chords. Even with the chromaticism,

there are still plenty of reminders of the home key of A major. For example, there is an A major

chord every few measures, including a V–I progression in mm. 86–87. Also, there is an A in

every chord in mm. 79–87, through a variety of voices. In effect, this creates a pedal tone, though

it is somewhat obscured because of the movement between voices. Starting in m. 87 the tonic

pedal is in the bass voice, helping to clear up any doubts about the key. An interesting feature is

that mm. 79–85 and mm. 87–93 have very similar chord progressions. These two phrases are

suggestive of Amy Beach’s self-education in composition. As noted in Chapter 2 she was denied

formal composition lessons throughout her life and instead had to embark upon a course of self-

study. She took that charge very seriously and amassed a considerable library of scores and

books. Below, in mm. 79–83, there is a progression of I -CTĳ-IV-ĮĲ-Ġ all during a tonic pedal.

This is a progression which can be traced back to Bach. When comparing example 3.30, from

Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier I, to the beginning of example 3.31 it is easy to see the

similarities. Example 3.27, like example 3.28 contains a tonic pedal over which there is a

progression consisting of I, IV or iv, and ĮĲ chords. As chord function is more important than

inversion, all labels below do not account for any inversions (example 3.27).

�57

Example 3.27: J.S. Bach’s Praeludium VI, mm. 1–2


più cresc.

83

più cresc.

I vi7 ii7 V7/vi IV7 ii7 V

&###”“

&###“< >

&### ?

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ# œ œJ œ œJ œJ œ‹ œJ œ#J œ œ# ™ œœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ## œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ## œœœ œœœ œœœ œ

œ œœœ œœœ œœœ‹‹ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœœn# œœ

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ# œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

i iv vii° i

4444

&b 3

Praeludium VIJ.S. Bach

?bD minor:

‰ ≈œr œœœœœœœœœœœœœ œ# œœ œ# œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

a tempo dolciss.

pp

79

pp a tempo simile

con PedaleI °7 IV vii°

&###

&### . . .. . . .

”“

&###A major:

. . . . . . . .CT

‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œj œ ™ œj œ Œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ œJ œ Œ

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ# œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœn œœ# œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

�58

Example 3.28: Cont.

f con passione

90

f

vii°7 I

&###Ÿ< >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3

“< >

&### > > > ”“

?###

w œ‹ œ œ ™ œJ œ œ œ œ# œ

œœ œn œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œœœœœ

œœ œœœ œœœ

œ œ œœn œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ# œ# œœ œ œœ œ

mf cresc.

87

legatocresc.

con PedaleI °7 IV

&### Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“< >

&### > >

3 3

?###CT

3 3

w w# w

‰ œœ œœ œœ# œœ œœœœ œœ œ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œ œ œœ œœ œœ# œœ œœn œœ ‰ œœn œœ œœ œœ

œœnœœ œœ œ œœ œ œœ

œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ ‰

œœ œ œœ œ œœ

accel.

92

accel.

ii viIV7

&### 3“< >

&###“< >

?###

œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œœœ œœœœ

œœœ œœœ œœœœœ œ œœ œ œœ œœœ ‰ œœ œœœ œ œœ œœœ

œ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ##

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ

�59

An 8va, which encompasses mm. 86–98, intensifies the music as it heads towards the

climax. The piano also assists with the intensification by changing from straight eighth notes to

triplets, which continues for the remainder of the piece. Beach begins a rising line in the bass in

m. 91 with the note A. This ascending bass line, and accelerando marked in m. 93, coincides

with the overall build to the climax in m. 96. The climax occurs on the single highest violin note

of the piece, D7, marked fortissimo, only the second time that dynamic is used. Harmonically,

the climax occurs with an E# fully diminished seventh chord. The combination of dynamics,

density, range, and tempo make the climax abundantly clear.


f con passioneaccel.

91

f accel.

&###3

3“< >

&### > > > ”“

?###

œ ™ œJ œ œ œ œ# œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œœ œœœœœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ

œœœœœ œœœ œœ

œœœ œ œœ œ œœ œœœ ‰ œœ œœœ œ œœ œœœ

œ œœœ œ œœ œ œ# œ# œœ œ œœ œ œ œ

œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ œœœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ##

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ

�60

Example 3.29: Cont.

After the climax, the violin line begins to descend, yet the intensity level is maintained. In

m. 99 Beach marks sempre fortissimo, and a measure later she adds a small crescendo. The violin

continues to descend in pitch however the fortissimo dynamic is expected to be maintained for

the next five measures, including a passage that is to be played high on the G string (mm. 102–

103). Throughout this section she drops continual hints that we will, eventually, be returning to A

major. The frequent appearance of E in the bass is one clue (mm. 99–102 and 104). She also uses

a second inversion A major chord twice in mm. 102-104. Of course, the most traditional use of a

IĹ is in a cadential Ĺ progression. The second time, in m. 104, she finally resolves the IĹ–VĿ then

leads to a root position A major chord in m. 105.

ff sostenuto

94

ff sostenuto

&###3

“< >

&###

?###

œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ

‰ œœ œœœ œ œœ œœœ‰ œœ œœœ œ œœ œœœ ‰œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ ‰

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ#n œœœ œœœ œœœ# œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ

œœœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœœœ

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœœœ œœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœ##

œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœœœ œœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœnn

œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ

�61


sul G101

I6$

&###- -

&###

?###

A major:

˙ œJ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

‰ œœœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ# œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ ‰ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ ‰ œœœ œœœ ‰ œœ œœ

œœœœ# œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœnn

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœœ œœ

œœ œœ œœ

sempre ff

99

&###

&###

?###

œ ™ œ# œ œJ œ œn œ œ œ ™ œ

‰ œœœ#n œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ ‰ œœ œœ œœ œœœn œœœ ‰ œœœn œœœ œœœn œœœ œœœ ‰ œœœ## œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœœœœœœ# œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ##œœn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

œœn œœ œœ œœ œœ

riten. molto

a tempo103

riten. molto a tempodim.

I6$ V7 Imarcato

&### - - - - -3

&###

?###

œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ ˙ ™ œ w

‰ œœ# œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ ‰ œœœn œœœœœœœœœœœœ‰ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

œœnn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œœ œ

œ œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ ‰ œ œ œœ œ œœJ

�62

In m. 108 there is a ƈ that is worth noting. What makes this augmented sixth chord

different is the way she builds the augmented sixth. Instead of the augmented sixth occurring

between a @ć and #ą, she creates an augmented sixth between a @ă and the leading tone. This

spelling means the chord wants to resolve to tonic, which it does in m. 109, instead of the

dominant. Although this is an unexpected spelling it is not without precedent. Other composers,

such as Schubert and Brahms, also created augmented sixth chords between scale degrees other

than the traditional @ć and #ą. An example is shown below from Schubert’s Der Doppelgänger

(example 3.32). Beach uses a similar, but more elaborate progression in the Berceuse which will

be discussed in detail in the next chapter.


p

108

I

&###

&###

?###A major: Fr + 6

Œ œ œ ™ œJ ˙ ™ Œ

‰# œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰n œœœn œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œ œ œœœ œœ œœ ‰œj œ œœœ œœ œjœœ œœ œœ

œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œb œœb œœ œœ œœ œœ œj‰ œœJ ˙œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

�63

Example 3.32: Franz Schubert’s Der Doppelgänger, mm. 31–34

The harmonic motion from m. 105 to the end slows down. This section serves to

reinforce A major as the tonic key, as well highlight other chords that have been important

throughout the piece. Those chords are F# minor, C# minor, and D major. Beach’s use of these

particular chords shows her fondness for third relationships. An obvious exclusion from this list

is E major, the dominant of A. In fact, during this entire ending section, there is not a single

dominant chord. The prominence of A (I), F# (vi), C# (iii) and D (IV) can be seen in example

3.33.


vor Schmer - zens ge- walt;- mir

31

fff ff p

III i

&

??

A minor: Fr +6

decresc.

‰ œJ ˙ œ œ ™j œr œ ˙ Œ Œ œ ™ œj

˙ ™™™ ˙#b ™™™™ ˙ ™™™™ ˙ ™™™

˙ ™™™ ˙#b ™™™ ˙ ™™™ ˙ ™™™

�64

From mm. 107–113, the piano has the primary melodic material, and the violin is clearly

in an accompaniment role. The piano foreshadows this change in m. 105. As can been seen in

example 3.34, the bass voice has a slight variation on the primary melodic fragment.


al fine

116

al fine

IV I

ppp

° *°

&###“< >

&###“< >

&###. . . . . . . . . ?. . .

œ œ œ œ w

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

sempre poco a poco riten.

113

sempre poco a poco riten.

I° *° * I° *iii° * vi° *

&###- - -

3

”“

A major:

&###”“

?### &

˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ w

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

œœœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

a tempo105

a tempodim.

marcato

&###

&###

?###

w œ Œ Ó

‰ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ œœ ‰ œœœ œœœ ‰ œœœ œœœ ‰ œœœ œœœ

œ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ ‰ œ œ œœ œ œœJ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ

�65

The violin reclaims the melody in mm. 112-113 (example 3.35), and from there Beach

begins a final ascent into the upper range of the violin, where the piece will draw to a close. The

final figure in the piano consists of an ascending arpeggiated tonic chord (example 3.36), a

concluding figure she also utilizes in the Mazurka, and to a lesser extent the Invocation.



ppsempre poco a poco riten.

112

pp sempre poco a poco riten.

° * ° * ° * ° *

&###

&###Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

?### & ?

Œ œ œ ™ œJ ˙ œ œ œ œ

‰# œ‹ œ œœœ# œœ œœ œœ œœ ˙ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ# œ

‰ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œœœœ# œœœœ œœœœ œœœ œœœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

118

morendo

*

&###U“< >

&###“< >

. . . .. . . . . . ∏∏∏∏∏”“

?###. . . . .

&.

. . . . . U∏∏∏∏∏

w w

œœœJ ‰œœj œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ wwww

‰œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ wwww

�66

With a thorough discussion of the piece complete, there is another interesting feature

about Beach’s use of the main melodic fragment. As noted on page 28 she expands the interval

between the bottom and top pitches of the primary melodic fragment. Here at the end, in the

piano part, she does the opposite. This first statement in the piano at m. 107 has an interval of a

sixth. Two measures later, when the figure is restated, then the interval will be a fifth.


Example 3.39: Cont.

p

107

sempre

p

con Pedale

&### ∑

&###

?###

Œ œ œ ™ œJ

‰‰ ‰ œj œœ œ œ œœ œœ ‰œj œ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰œj ˙# œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰n œœœn œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ

œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œn œœn œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œb œœb œœ œœ œœ œœ

109

&###

&###

?###

˙ ™ Œ Œ œ œ ™ œJ

œœœ œ œ œœœ œœ œœ ‰œj œ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœ ‰œj œ œœ œœ ‰œ œœ œœ ‰œ œœ œœ ‰œ œœ œœ

œj‰ œœJ ˙œœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ œ ‰ œœ œ ‰ œœ œ ‰ œ œ

�67

When making an appropriate version for the viola, this piece presented some of the most

substantial challenges compared to the other works transcribed for this project. Due to the

virtuosic nature, especially the use of the extreme upper register, this piece needed to be edited

so it would fall within the viola's range. Since the violin’s open strings (E5, A4, D4, and G3)

sound a fifth higher than the open strings of the viola (A4, D4, G3, C3) the first inclination was

to transpose the entire piece down a fifth. However, upon initial hearing, the lower key caused

sections of this piece to lose the light-hearted character of the romance. Many attempts were

made to keep the piece in the original key and to modify the viola line as needed. Ultimately,

these attempts failed as the upper register is frequently used for the most intense, climactic

moments. By allowing the viola to play an octave lower, those moments lost their effectiveness.

In the end it was decided that a slightly darker character, with powerful moments, was preferable

to a lighter character with a noticeable lack of intensity. While the viola part could be transposed

down a fifth with no other changes, there were some necessary revisions to the piano part. The

first is that the opening four measures were raised an octave. As the viola does not enter in those

measures, there is no possibility of balance issues. Moving up the octave assists in setting up a

lighter, romantic character. Both hands of the piano accompaniment were also raised an octave in

m. 104–106. These measures are the end of the A’ section when the viola is finishing one phrase

and the piano is taking over the melodic material. The change in octave helps to lighten the

overall character and allows the melody lines in the piano to be better heard. Those were the only

changes to the music that were used for this transcription. Some changes of clefs were made to

facilitate ease of reading the music but involved no change of pitch.

�68

The Romance is a wonderful by-product of the 1893 Columbian Exposition. This

exposition was a great step forward for women in America. It presented an important

opportunity for two of America’s best musicians, Maud Powell and Amy Beach, to collaborate

on an international stage. This Romance can assist in filling the void in the viola repertoire of

compositions by American Women composers at the end of the 19th century. It is hoped that this

chapter and transcription help to provide both a detailed analysis for performers and a beautiful

addition to the viola repertoire.

�69

Chapter 4: Analysis of Three Works for Violin and Piano, op. 40

Amy Beach’s Opus 40 is a collection of three short character pieces for violin and piano,

which were published by Schmidt in 1898. Their titles, in publication order, are La Captive,

Berceuse, and Mazurka. Although they were published as a set, each piece is an independent

work. As noted in Chapter 2, while the Berceuse and La Captive were premiered in 1897, it took

until three years after publication for the Mazurka to receive its premiere. For a variety of

reasons, these pieces are very atypical of Beach’s writing. In her book, Amy Beach and Her

Chamber Music, Jeanell Brown makes an extensive list of the ways in which this particular

collection could be considered out of the ordinary for Beach.

These three short works are not characteristic of Beach’s usual style for several reasons. First, the themes are not as chromatic as many others from this same period. Second, the harmonic rhythms are slower. Third, the extensive use of remote harmonies and altered chords serving as functional harmony is not as frequent. For example, there is more emphasis on the traditional chordal harmonies (Ġ–IV–ĩ), with well-defined authentic cadences. There are no lengthy and involved sections of transition and modulation…. These three pieces are precise and compact, with Schubertian, song-like textures. The piano writing is simple and chordal, devoid of the usual figuration or bravura playing.” 67

Brown goes on to theorize, “although there is no indication that this set was written for

pedagogical purposes, they could well serve that function.” 68

Brown, Amy Beach and her Chamber Music, 188. 67

Ibid, 188. 68

�70

La Captive, Op. 40 No. 1

The title of the first piece, La Captive, means “The Captive” in French. This is a fitting

title as Beach indicates that the whole work is to be played sul G, meaning the violinist is to be

held captive by the G string. La Captive is in binary form. There are two measures of 69

introduction followed by eight measures of A, eight measures of B, and nine measures of the

coda. The form is defined by the use of repeats as each major section (A and B) is repeated once.

Beach clearly strove for symmetrical division within the form, a feature that will occur in other

Op. 40 works.

Each section of this piece is also defined by the piano texture. Between the A and B

sections these textures can be differentiated by the right hand of the piano, as the textural

accompaniment in the left hand stays consistent. Throughout the A section the treble staff mostly

functions as an extension of the quarter note chords found on beats two and four of each measure

in the bass staff (example 4.1), whereas in the B section the treble staff functions more

contrapuntally with the violin line (example 4.2). In the coda, the piano has the melody for the 70

first time since the introduction, while the violin accompanies with either pedal tones or a G

major arpeggio (example 4.3). Texturally, a surprise occurs at the very end when the violin plays

natural harmonics (example 4.3). This allows the final pitches to be higher than otherwise

possible without leaving the G string.

Yu-Hsien Judy Hung, “The Violin Sonata of Amy Beach” (Doctoral dissertation, Louisiana State 69

University, 2005), 17.

Ibid, 17.70

�71

Example 4.1: La Captive, mm. 4–5



™™™™™™

4

° * ° * ° * con Pedale

&bb

&bb ∏∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏∏

?bb ∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏

œj ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œj œ œ œ œ œj

Œ œœœœ Œ œœ Œ œœœ Œ œœœb

œœœœœ

œœœœœ

œœœœ

œœœœ#

™™™™™™

pp

13

dim. ppp

&bb

&bb n #n b?bb

œ œ œ# œ œ ™ œj ˙ ‰ œn œj œ œ œ œ œn ™ œj œ ™ œ ˙ œn

œœ# œ œœ œ œœœnb œœœ œ œ œ œ œœ œœœ œœœb œœœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ ™ œœ œ œ

œœn œœœ œœn œ œ

œœ œ œœnœ

œœ œœœ

p pp

22

dolcissimo

pp

con due Pedale

&bb

&bb

?bb

w w w œ œ œ œ œ ™ œj w

Œ œœœ œœœnn œœœœœ Œ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ

œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œœ# œœœnn# œ≈ œœn Óœœ œœ œœ œœ

œœœœ œœ œ œœœ

œœœœœ œœœ œ œœœœ

œœ˙ œœœœ œœœœ ˙ œœ œ

œœœn œœœœ

�72

Example 4.3: Cont.

Melodically the phrases are not as evenly divided as the form. The A section consists of

two phrases, from m. 2, beat 3–m. 8 and m. 8, beat 2–mm. 11/12 (accounting for first and second

endings). This division is clear due to the half cadence and the eighth rest after the downbeat of

m. 8 which creates a slight breath (example 4.4). By contrast, the B section, which starts in m.

13, consists of one long eight measure phrase. The climax occurs in m. 18 which, much like the

Romance, contains the loudest dynamic of the piece: forte.

The final major section, the coda, consists of a four measure phrase followed by a five

measure phrase. Similar to the A section, the phrase break in the coda is evident partially because

of a cadence. In m. 26 the cadence is expected to occur in G minor, with a iv-viiĳ-i. Instead

Beach makes the final chord major, and spends the last five measures emphasizing G major

(example 4.5). Although the downbeat of m. 26 is a G major chord with a major seventh, the

sempre pp morendo

27

morendosempre pp

° *

&bb o o o o o oU

&bb . . . . . . . .?

. .&

U

?bbU

œ ˙ œ ˙ ™ œn w w

œœn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœn˙n

˙nn wwwnn

œ˙n œ œœ ˙ œ Œ

˙ œœ wwwww

�73

major seventh is a 7-8 suspension . Once the resolution happens (within beat 1 of m. 26), F# is 71

not seen again for the remainder of the piece. Additionally, the violin also switches pedal tones in

mm. 25–26 from G to D, creating a sense of separation between the two phrases.



This type of upward resolving suspension, especially since it is a leading tone to tonic, is also 71

commonly called a retardation by theorists.

cresc.

6

cresc.

V + 6 V

&bb

&bb>

∏∏∏∏ n

?bbG Minor: Fr

∏∏∏œ œ œ œ fiœjœ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œn œ#

Œ œœ œ œœj ‰ œ œœ# œ ≈ œœ Œ œœœ#œ œ Œ œœ# Œ œœ œ

œœœœ

œœœœ œ

œœ# œœœ œ

œœ œœœ

pp

25

dolcissimo

iv vii°7con due PedaleI

&bb o o

&bb . . . . . .?bb

G minor:

œ œ œ œ œ ™ œj w œ ˙ œ

œ ˙ œœ# œœœnn# œ ≈ œœn Óœœ œœ œœ œœ œœn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœœœœ ˙ œ œ

œœœn œœœœ

œ˙n œ

�74

Example 4.5: Cont.

Melodic material from earlier in the piece is reused in the coda. The sequence in the

piano in mm. 22–23 has its origin in m. 2. Also there is an augmentation of the violin’s melodic

line, specifically m.3, from the introduction.


sempre pp morendo

28

morendosempre pp

° *

&bb oo o oU

&bb. .

?. .

&U

?bbU

˙ ™ œn w w

œœn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœn˙n

˙nn wwwnn

œœ ˙ œ Œ˙ œœ www

ww

Violin

Piano

p

Largo con molto espressione

pp

° * ° *° * ° * ° *

c

cc

&bb ∑

La Captive

&bb ∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏∏

?bb ∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏

Ó ‰œ œj œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ

Œ œœœœ Œ œœœœ œœœ œœœœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ Œ œœœ

œœœœœ

œœœœœ

œœœœ œ œ

œœœœ

œœœœ

�75


The opening key of G minor is firmly established in the introduction. While the A section

generally serves to reinforce G minor with the frequent use of Ĩ and ġ, there is a brief

tonicization of ĠĠĠ between the fourth and fifth measures.


p pp

22

pp

&bb

&bb

?bb

w w w œ œ œ œ œ ™ œj

Œ œœœ œœœnn œœœœœ Œ œœœ œœœ œœ œœœ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œœ#



œœ˙ œœœœ œœœœ ˙ œœ

™™™™™™

4

° * V7/III° * III° * con Pedale

&bb

&bb ∏∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏∏

?bb ∏∏∏∏

G minor:

∏∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏

œj ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œj œ œ œ œ œj

Œ œœœœ Œ œœ Œ œœœ Œ œœœb

œœœœœ

œœœœœ

œœœœ

œœœœ#

�76

In the A section Beach chose to end all phrases on a half cadence. The first instance

occurs in m. 7 at the end of the first phrase (example 4.4). In m. 10 there is another half cadence

to end the second phrase. Lastly, a half cadence occurs in the second ending as the transition to

the B section.


Another feature of the A section is the descending bass line between mm. 7–11. Beach

begins with an E@ in m. 7 and descends by stepwise motion to an A in m. 9 before jumping back

up to D. Then she uses the D as the start of a new descent which reaches the tonic pitch of G.

™™

™™™™

pp

1. 2.10

dim.

pp1. 2.

V

pp pp

° *° *dim

V

&bb >

&bb. ∏∏∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏∏∏ . - ->

?bbG minor:

.

∏∏∏ ∏∏∏

.-

.-

œ# œ ≈ œ œj œ œj œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œn œ ™ œ œ# œ ≈ ˙ œ ™ œ

œœœ## œœ œœœn œœ œ œœ œœœœ Œ œœœ œœ# œœ œ# œ ≈ œœn

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœœ œ œœ œ

œœ œ œ

�77


The B section is harmonically more complex. It begins with an E@ major chord, a ĨĠ in g

minor. She uses the VI as a pivot chord to move to C minor. Throughout mm. 13–16 there are

multiple progressions which tonicize C minor. Note the instances of either Įĳ or Ĩ which

always resolve to i.

cresc.

7

cresc.

&bb

&bb > ∏∏∏∏ n b

?bb ∏∏∏

˙ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œn œ# œ ™ œ œ œJ œ# œj

œœ# œ ≈ œœ Œ œœœ# Œ œœ# Œ œœ œ œœ œ œœ# œœœ œ

œœœ# œ

œœ œœœ œ

œœœ

œœ œœœ

™™™™™™

pp

1.10

dim.

pp1.

pp pp

° * ° *

&bb

&bb. ∏∏∏∏∏∏ ∏∏∏∏∏∏

?bb .

∏∏∏ ∏∏∏

œ# œ ≈ œ œj œ œj œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œn œ ™ œ

œœœ## œœ œœœn œœ œ œœ œœœœ Œ œœœ

œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœœ œ œœ

�78


Following C minor the key moves back to G minor in mm. 17–18. The same type of

chord, a ĭĿ, tonicizes both the move to C minor and the return to G minor. A Bĳ tonicizes the

first instance of C minor (example 4.11) and an F#ĳ tonicizes the return to G minor (example

4.12).

Example 4.12: La Captive, mm. 17– 18

™™™™™™

pp

13

dim. p

VIIII

pp

vii°4£ i6 V7 i VI6 vii°4£ i

&bb

&bb n #n b?bb

C minor:G minor:

œ œ œ# œ œ ™ œj ˙ ‰ œn œj œ œ œ œ œn ™ œj œ ™ œ ˙ œn

œœ# œ œœ œ œœœnb œœœ œ œ œ œ œœ œœœ œœœb œœœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ ™ œœ œ œ

œœn œœœ œœn œ œ

œœ œ œœnœ

œœ œœœ

cresc.f

con passione17

cresc.

VIII

i6$iv6$ vii°7

f

i

&bb - -3

&bb

?bb

G minor: C minor:

b

œ<n> œ œ œ œ œb œn ™ œ œ ™ œJ œ œb œb œn œ

œœn œœ œœ œœœ œœ œœœn œœœ œœb œœ

œb œœb œœœ œ# œ# œ

œœ

�79

While the coda primarily emphasizes G (both major and minor), Beach does include

other chords that served important roles earlier in the piece. In m. 23 there is an E@ major chord

(ĨĠ), the same chord that started the B section. There is also a C minor chord (iv) in m. 25, which

was a prominent key area in the B section. Lastly, the final five measures reinforce G major. In

fact, the progression leading to the G major chord in m. 26 (example 4.13) is preceded by the

exact same chords as the return to G minor in the B section (example 4.12).

Example 4.13: La Captive, mm. 22-26

Beach possibly chose to end in major to show hope, as the captive’s time of confinement

is almost complete.

p pp

22

dolcissimo

i

pp

VI ii°4" iv vii°4"con due Pedale

I

&bb

&bb

?bbG minor:

w w w œ œ œ œ œ ™ œj w

Œ œœœ œœœnn œœœœœ Œ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ

œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œœ# œœœnn# œ≈ œœn Óœœ œœ œœ œœ



œœ˙ œœœœ œœœœ ˙ œœ œ

œœœn œœœœ

�80

Berceuse, Op. 40 No. 2

Op. 40, No. 2 is titled Berceuse. According to Grove Music Online,

A berceuse is a gentle song intended for lulling young children to sleep. In instrumental music the term usually refers to a character piece for piano. The defining work of the genre is Chopin’s Berceuse in D@ major Op. 57 (1843-4), a model imitated by several other composers. Its most notable characteristics are compound time, a quiet dynamic level, a tonic pedal bass and a ‘rocking’ accompaniment oscillating between Ġ and Ĩ, over which Chopin places a simple melody later varied with a profusion of filigree passagework. 72

Keeping in line with the soft dynamics and hushed feel, Beach calls for the solo violin to

be muted throughout.

The Berceuse is in ternary form (ABA’ with a coda) , and like La Captive, the form is 73

incredibly balanced. After a four measure introduction, each major section is 16 measures long.

The only exception is the coda, which is 17 measures. Each major section can be further

subdivided into two eight measure phrases, each with its own unique characteristics. In the first

section (A), the two eight measure phrases (labeled a and b) begin similarly, as the second phrase

is an ornamented echo of the first. Throughout b, Beach extends the range and dynamics used in

the violin. In a the highest note in the violin is D5, whereas in b the violin goes a fifth higher to

A5. Dynamically a has a crescendo, presumably rather minimal since there is no marked ending

dynamic, whereas in b the marked crescendo goes to a mezzo-forte. Frequently throughout the A

section the piano plays the opening melodic fragment, usually as an echo of the violin. This can

be seen in mm. 1, 6, 8, 14, 17, and 18.

Kenneth L.Hamilton, “Berceuse.” Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, 72

accessed April 7, 2015, http://www.oxfordmusiconline/com/subscriber/article/grove/music/02749.

Hung, “The Violin Sonata of Amy Beach” 18. 73

http://www.oxfordmusiconline/com/subscriber/article/grove/music/02749

�81

Example 4.14: Berceuse, mm. 1–20

Violin

Piano

dolcep

Andantino con molto tenerezza.

pp

Andantino con molto tenerezza.

° * ° * ° *

pp

° *

34

34

34

&## con sordino∑ ∑ ∑ ∑A a

BERCEUSE.Mrs. H. H. A. BE ACH.

Op. 40, No. 2

&##

?##

œj œ œ œ œ

œœj œœœ œ œ ™œ œœjœœœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œb œ Óœœ œn œ œ œœ œœ# œœœ œœ œœ

œœœœ œœœ œ

œœ œœœ œ ˙ œ œ œœ œ œ

œ œœ

6

° * ° *simile

&## 3

&##

?##

œ ˙ œj œ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œj œ œ ™ œj

œj˙ œ œœ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œj˙ œ œœ œ œ œœ ˙ œœ ™™ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ Œ

dim. ppcresc.

11

cresc.

&## b3

&## 3

?##

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ# j œj œ œn œœj œ ™ œ œ ˙ œj œ œj œœ œ

œœ ˙ œœœb œ œœ œ œœ œn œœ œœ œœ œjœœ œ œœœjœœœœ œœ œœ œœ

œ œ œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œœ œœ œ œ

œ œœ œ œœ œœ

�82

Example 4.14 Cont.

Moving into the B section, the first clear difference is a lack of the primary melodic

motive in the piano during the first eight measures. Also, while there are two clear eight measure

phrases in the B section (mm. 21–28 and mm. 29–37), they are not melodically related like the A

section. Instead, their division is evident by a register change in the violin and the return of the

opening melodic material in the piano (m. 29, example 4.15).


mf

16

&##

&## # # n #

?##

œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ# ˙ œn ˙n œœ œ# œ œ ™ œ ˙ œ

œœ œœ œœ œj˙ œ œœ œ ™ œ œj˙ œ œœ œ œ œœ œœ œ ™ œ œ œ œœ œ# œœ

œ œ œ œœ# œ œ œ# œœ œ# œ# œn œœ œ œ œ œœ# œj ™œ œ ™

cresc.

27

p

p cresc.

&## 3

&## >n b

?##

œ œn ™ œbJ œ œn œ œb œ œn ™ œ ˙ ™ œ œ# œ ™ œj ˙ ™

œœ œ œb œ œœœnn œœœ œœbn œœ œj˙ œ œœ œ œ œœœn œœœ ™™™ œœœj œj˙ œ œœ œœ œœ

œ œ œœb œ Œ ˙b œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

�83

The next major section is A’, which is not an exact duplicate of A. Although the general

melodic contour remains and certain measures are preserved, Beach does expand the original

melody. A good example of this is seen when comparing mm. 9–12 in example 4.14 with mm.

41–44 in example 4.16. Despite these changes to the melody and rhythm there is enough

similarity that the listener would likely hear it as a return of the A section. The biggest change in

the first eight measures of A’ is the lack of dynamics. Up until now, throughout both A and B,

there had been dynamic changes occurring at least every few measures. However, from mm. 35–

46, there are no dynamic markings. An important moment in the A’ section is the climax in m.

49. Much like in the Romance, the climax occurs on the highest violin note thus far, a C#6, and is

marked with the loudest dynamic marking used in this piece, forte (example 4.17).


espressivo

41

dolce marcato

rall.

&## rall.

&##?##

œ ™ œ œJ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œj œ œ œ œ œ#

œœ œ ™˙ œj œœœ œ ™˙ œj œ ˙œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ ˙œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

�84


As is commonly the case, the coda is mostly made up of elements from earlier sections.

However, there is some new material presented in mm. 59–61, a scale which climbs to the

highest note of the piece for the violin, a F#6 (example 4.18). Dynamically, the entire coda is

marked pianissimo. Five measures after the initial pianissimo marking Beach reiterates the

dynamic with a sempre pianissimo. Seven measures before the end there is also a poco a poco

ritardando al fine and a morendo at the end. Through the dynamics and tempo markings, there is

a clear sense of unwinding.


f

48

f

&##

&##

?##

œ ™ œ œ œ œ ™œ œ ™ œ

œœ# œœ œ œ œ œœœn œœ œœ

œ œ œ ‰ Œ œ œ œ Œ

rall.

59

rall.

senza Pedale con due

&## . . . . . .

&## . . . . . . . . .

?## & ?

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ™

œœœ# œœœ œ œœ œœ œœ œœn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœJ œœ œ œœ ™™ œ

œJœ œ œj œj œ œ œj œ œ œ œœ

�85

Beach incorporates many of the harmonic tendencies found in Chopin’s Berceuses. This

piece is primarily in D major. In the first section there is a tonic pedal from mm. 1–17 where it

moves, over the course of four measures, to the dominant (example 4.19).


An analysis based only on the bass clef pitches of the piano in mm. 5–10 (example 4.20),

would imply the “rocking” accompaniment oscillating between Ġ and Ĩ . However, when the 74

treble clef is taken into account, the apparent IV chord over the dominant in the bass produces a

VҐ. Measure 9 contains a fully realized dominant seventh chord on beats two and three to set up

the authentic cadence in m. 10 (example 4.20). The other harmonic moment of note in the A

section is the brief tonicization of the dominant in mm. 18–20 (example 4.21).

Hamilton, “Berceuse.”74

mf

16

&##

&## # # n #

?##

œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ# ˙ œn ˙n œœ œ# œ œ ™ œ ˙ œ

œœ œœ œœ œj˙ œ œœ œ ™ œ œj˙ œ œœ œ œ œœ œœ œ ™ œ œ œ œœ œ# œœ

œ œ œ œœ# œ œ œ# œœ œ# œ# œn œœ œ œ œ œœ# œj ™œ œ ™

�86



8

simileI V7 I

&##

&##

?##

œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œj œ œ ™ œj

œj˙ œ œœ œ œ œœ ˙ œœ ™™ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ Œ

mf

18

vii¯7/V/V V/V V

&##

&## n #

?##D major:

œn ˙n œœ œ# œ œ ™ œ ˙ œ

œj˙ œ œœ œ œ œœ œœ œ ™ œ œ œ œœ œ# œœ

œ# œ# œn œœ œ œ œ œœ# œj ™ œ œ ™

dolcep

5

I

pp

° * V I° * V I° * V

&## 3

&##

?##D major: 11 11 11

œj œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œj œ œj œ œ œ œ œ

Óœœœ œœ œœ œj˙ œ œœ œ œ œœ œœ œœ

œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ

�87

As a contrast to A, the B section quickly moves away from dominant and tonic

harmonies. Beach starts off on a iv, beginning a descending circle progression in mm. 21–25.

This progression is best analyzed within the key area of D minor. A ƈ breaks the circle

progression in m. 26, and then resolves to a D major chord. The ƈ serves as a substitute for the

expected dominant chord, which then resolves to the major tonic. This type of progression, Ģĵ-

ƈ-I, which came to be know as a tritone substitution, is a common jazz progression that

developed in the mid to late 1930s, over 30 years after this piece was written. As mentioned in

the previous chapter there is precedent for resolving an augmented sixth chord to tonic. What

makes Beach’s progression unique is the ƈ serving as the dominant substitute and then

resolving to the tonic. To the author’s knowledge there is no precedent in the classical repertoire

for this progression. This is a fascinating topic that is worthy of future scholarly research.


p

21

pp cresc.

iv7sempre con pedale

VII7 III VI

&## 3

&##

?##D major:

œbJ œ œ œœ œ œ œ ™ œn œ ™ œ# j œj œn œ œn œn œ œ œ# œ œn œ œ

œœb œœn œœ œœœb ™™™ œœn œœ œ œœ œ œœn œœn œœ# œœb œ œ œ œœn œ

œ œn œbœœ œn œn œb œ œn œn œ

œ œb œb œn œœ

�88

Example 4.22: Cont.

Although the tonic pedal returns in m. 27, other than the downbeat of m. 27 there is no

major tonic harmony in the entire B section. Instead, the tonic pedal functions in a variety of

ways. These include as a non-chord tone (m. 29), within various non-tonic harmonies (m. 27), or

within a modally borrowed i harmony (m. 30).

Example 4.23: Berceuse, mm. 27-36

25

ii¯7 I VI6

&## 3

&## > > >

?##Fr +6

œb ™ œ œ œ œ ™ œj œ# œ œ œ œn ™ œbJ

œœœnb ˙ œœœ ˙ œœ œ œb œ œœœnn

œ œ Œ œœ œb œb Œ œœ œ œ œœb œ Œ

cresc.

27

p

p cresc.

I VI6 V7 i7

&## 3

&## >n

?##D major:

œ œn ™ œbJ œ œn œ œb œ œn ™ œ ˙ ™ œ œ# œ ™ œj

œœ œ œb œ œœœnn œœœ œœbn œœ œj˙ œ œœ œ œ œœœn œœœ ™™™ œœœj

œ œ œœb œ Œ ˙b œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

�89

Example 4.23: Cont.

The harmonies in A’ are initially a duplicate of A. Measures 42–45 contain the first

deviation, where Beach chose to write a clear cadential progression of vi-ii-IV-V-I (example

4.24). Melodically this is the equivalent to mm 10–13. The next deviation from the A section

happens in mm. 47–48. These measures contain a tonicization of IV, while ultimately returning

to D major (example 4.25).


pp rit.

31

V7 ii 4" V7 IV6$ V9

pp rit.

&##

&## b?##

˙ ™ œ œb œ œ œ# œ œ ™ œ œ ™œ œ ™ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œj˙ œ œœ œœ œœ œœœ ˙ œ ˙ œ ˙ œœœ œ œœ œ œ œœœœ ˙

œ œ œ œ œ œb œ œ œj œ œ ‰ œj œ œ ‰ œ œ œœœ œœ Œ œœ

a tempo42

rall.

a tempo

vi6 ii4" IV6$ V7 I

&## rall. 3

&## n?##

D major:

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œj œ œ œ œ œ# œj œ œj œn œ œ œ œ

œœœ œ ™˙ œj œ ˙œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ ˙œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ

�90


The coda returns to a simpler harmonic language, using primarily tonic and dominant

harmonies. A tonic pedal is constant throughout the coda except in m. 59–60 where it briefly

switches to a dominant pedal (example 4.18). Finally the piece concludes with a heavenly plagal

cadence.

dim.

rit. a tempo

pp

50

pp a tempo

V7/V I6$

prit.

V7 I

&## 3

&###

?##

œ ™ œ œ œ œj œ œj œ œ œ œ œ ™ œj ˙ ™

œœœ# œœ œœ œ œœœ œœœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœ œj œ œœ œ œ

œ œ œ#œ œj œ œ œj œj œ

œ œj œ œ œ Œ

f

47

f

V7/IV IV ii7

&##

&##

?##D major:

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ ™œ œ ™ œ

œœ#n œœn œœ œ œœ# œœ œ œ œ œœœn œœ œœ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ Œ œ œ œ Œ

�91


Given the soft, slow, and gentle nature of the ending, the baby is no doubt finally sleeping

soundly.

morendo64

I * IV° * I

morendo

° *

&## U

&## U

?##D major:

U

œ ™ œ œ œ ˙ ™ ˙ œ œ ˙ ™ ˙ ™ ˙ ™œœ ˙ œœ ˙ œ œ œœ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ ˙ ™™™œ œ

œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ

œ Œ œ œ Œ ‰ œj œ œ Œ ‰ œj ˙ ™™

�92

Mazurka, Op. 40 No. 3

The third piece in Beach’s Opus 40 collection is the Mazurka. A mazurka is a Polish

dance from the Mazovia region. As is commonly known, the mazurka in concert music was

made famous by Chopin. The tempo of a mazurka should be on the slower side, yet maintain a

lively character. Traditionally a mazurka was often accompanied by bagpipes. In concert music a

pedal tone, usually on the tonic or dominant, serves to represent the bagpipes. Chopin’s

mazurkas were known for having a short call and response pattern one or two measures in

length. One of the most well known characteristics of a mazurka is the emphasis on the weak

beat of a triple meter. All of these elements can be found in Beach’s Opus 40, No. 3. 75

The form of this mazurka is ternary. It begins with a four measure introduction and is 76

followed by the A section from mm. 5–52. The middle section, B, is marked più mosso and

contains a moto perpetuo line of eighth notes for the violin. The return of the A section (A’)

occurs in m. 70. Thus far, in the other pieces of this collection, all the forms have been very

balanced. While the form is very clear in this piece, each section has its own unique length. The

outer sections are a similar length, 48 and 41 measures respectively, while the middle section is

32 measures long, written as 16 measures with a repeat.

The introduction and first A section provide a good representation of many common

characteristics found in a mazurka. In m. 1 the top voice of the piano has a one bar fragment

which is echoed in m. 2 by the bottom voice of the piano. This is a good example of the short

Stephen. Downes, “Mazurka.” Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, 75

accessed May 5, 2015, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/18193.

Brown, Amy Beach and Her Chamber Music, 192. 76

http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/18193

�93

call and response pattern. Once the A section begins there is a tonic pedal throughout the first

eight measure phrase. Frequently there are accents written on the second beat of a measure. All

of these characteristics are shown in example 4.27.

Example 4.27: Mazurka, mm. 1–12

6

poco cresc.

&### > >

&###

?###

fiœj œJ ‰ ˙ œ œ œ fiœjœ œ œJ ‰ ˙

Œ ˙ Œ ˙n# Œ ˙n

˙ œœ ˙ œœ ˙ œœ

Violin

Piano

p

Allegretto à capriccio.

p


pp

34

3434

&### ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑

MAZURKA.

Mrs. H.H.A.BEACH.Op.40, No. 3

&### .>

?### ∑

œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œœœ ˙ œœœ œœ# ™™ œœj œœ œœ œœ# Œ ˙#œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# ™ œ œ œ ˙ œœ

�94

Example 4.27: Cont.

One of the most interesting aspects of this particular piece is how Beach organizes each

of the major sections. Within the A section of the ternary form, she also has a smaller ternary

form. Starting with the violin entrance in m. 5, each group of eight measures can be labeled “a”

through “f”. Furthermore, they can be grouped into three sections, a/b, c/d, and e/f. The outer

sections, a/b and e/f are related, creating a smaller ternary within the larger ternary.

Within the first small section, a, the violin has the melody while the piano has an

accompaniment pattern which emphasizes the second beat of each measure. At the beginning of

the b section (m. 13), the piano has the melody at the same pitch level originally presented by

both the violin and piano during their first entrances. The violin and piano entrances can be seen

in example 4.27 and the beginning of the b section can be seen in example 4.28. Starting in m. 17

the violin regains the melodic material. In fact, mm. 9-10 and mm. 17-18 are very similar for the

violin, just an octave higher. Measures 9–10 can be seen in example 4.27 whereas mm. 17–18 are

shown in example 4.28. It is quite clear how a and b are melodically related and can be

considered a unit.

dim.

9

dim.

&### >

&###

?###

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œj œ œ ‰ ˙

Œ œœœ œœ Œ œœœ œœœn œœœ œœœ# œœœ# Œ ˙

˙ œœ ˙ œ œ# œ œ ˙ œœ

�95


The next section, c, begins with a new melodic idea. The violin contains a sigh figure

shown in mm. 21–23 and mm. 25–28 below.


p cresc.13

marcato

cresc.

&###

&### # > #n?###

° * ° *

Œ ˙ œ œ# œ œ œ œ ˙ ™

Œœ œ œ fiœjœ œ œJ ‰ ˙ ˙œ œ œ œœœ œ

˙ œœ œœœ

œœ œœœ# œœ

f

16

f

&###

&### >?###

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ œ

fiœj œJ ‰ ˙ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ ™™ œœ œœ œœœœœn Œ œœœ ˙ œœ ˙ œœ#

21

p

&###3

&###

?###

œj ‰ ˙ œj ‰ ˙ œ œœ œ œ# œn œ œ# œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œœœj ‰ ˙ œœœ

j ‰ ˙ œ œ œœ œœœœ œœ

œœj ‰ ˙ œœ

j ‰ œ œ ˙ œ œœœ Œ

�96

Example 4.29: Cont.

Similar to a/b, the c section contains multiple examples of Beach emphasizing the second

beat. In mm. 21–22 and 25–26 (example 4.29) it is possible to imagine moving the bar lines so

the second beat becomes the downbeat. Beach also writes a hemiola in mm. 27–28 (example

4.29) that results in the second beat of m. 28 being emphasized.

Melodically the d section is separate from the c section. However, it is the harmonic

implications and connections which allow these two smaller sections to be grouped together. A

detailed discussion of this point will take place later. One of the unifying factors throughout the d

section is the use of a C# pedal tone. This pedal tone begins in m. 29 and continues almost

uninterrupted through m. 39, which is the third measure of the e section. Throughout c and d

there is almost no hint of the opening melodic motive, except in the right hand piano line from

mm. 29–30.

f

25

&###3

&###

?###

œJ ‰ ˙ œj ‰ ˙ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ# œ œ# œ œ œ œ

œœJ ‰˙ œœJ ‰ ˙

˙ œœœ œœœ œœ# œœœœJ ‰ Œ œœ œœJ ‰ Œ œœ# ˙# œ# œœ œ œœ#

�97


sempre f

29

f

&###

&#### n?###

° *&

˙ ™ œ ™ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ ™ œJ

˙ ™œ œ œn œ œ ˙ ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ# œ œ œ œ œœn œ œ œ œ

œ ™ œJ œ œ ™ œnJ œ œ œ# Œ Œ œ œn œ œœ

dim. p

33

dim.

&###Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

&### . . . . ..

&###. . .

? . . .

˙ ™ ˙ ™ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ# Œ œœœn œœœ# Œ œœnn œœ## ˙# œœ ˙

œœ# Œ œœn œœ# Œ œœ ˙ œœ ˙ œœ#

espressivo

37

pp

p

° *

&###3

&### # >?###

˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ

˙œ œ œ œ œ œ fiœjœ œ œJ ‰ ˙ œœœn œœ œœœ

˙ œœn ˙ œœ ˙#œ

�98

The e section begins with an ornamented version of the opening melodic motive (m. 37 in

example 4.30). The ornamentation used in m. 37 sets a pattern for how the motive will be

presented throughout e and f. In example 4.30 it is easy to see the relationship between the top

voice of the piano in m. 37 and the violin line in m. 39. The f section begins in m. 45 with an

almost identical ornamentation.


Since the f section serves as the closing phrase for A, it appropriately includes melodic

themes found in the a, c and d sections. The motive from the introduction/a section is clearly

shown in example 4.31 above, while the motive from the c section can be found in mm. 48–49

(example 4.32). Lastly, the f section closes on a figure that is very similar to the end of the d

section (m. 36 in example 4.30), only inverted.

pp45

pp a tempo

° *

&### a tempo > >

&###

?###

œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œj ‰ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj ‰ ˙

˙# œ œœ œ œœ œ# œœn œœœ œ œœ œ œ œœ œœœ œ

œœ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œn œ œ

�99

Example 4.32: Mazurka, mm. 48-52

The B section consists of two eight measure phrases. In Amy Beach and Her Chamber

Music, Brown notes, “the piano is given a lilting waltz pattern of accompaniment.” Melodically 77

this entire section forms a musical period. Grove Music Online defines a musical period as, “a

musical statement…built of complementary members, each generally two to eight bars long and

respectively called ‘antecedent’ and ‘consequent’. Symmetry provides another defining element

in period structure. Complementary figures and phrases establish a regular pattern of movement

that allows the listener to anticipate the final point of arrival in a self-contained unit.” The 78

antecedent phrase, from mm. 53–60, end on VI, a relatively weaker harmonic ending than the

consequent phrase which concludes with a perfect authentic cadence in the first ending.

Melodically the two phrases are closely related. The first four measures of each phrase are the

same in the violin line, except the consequent phrase is raised an octave.

Brown, Amy Beach and Her Chamber Music, 193. 77

Leonard G. Ratner, “Period,” Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, Oxford University Press, 78

accessed October 26, 2016. http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/21337.

dim.

rall.

pp

48

dim. rall.

&### > > >. .

. . . . U

&### >U

?### > U

œj ‰ ˙ œj‰ ˙ œj ‰

˙œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ

œ œ œ# œ

œœ œ œ œ œœœj ‰ ˙ œœœœ##

j ‰ ˙ œœ# œœœ œœ œœj ‰ ˙

œœ œn œ œ œœj ‰ ˙ œœ

j ‰ ˙ œœ œ œ œœj ‰ œœ

j ‰œœ

�100


cresc. mf

58

cresc.

vi

mf

&###3

&### . .3

?###

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Œ œœ œœœ œ œ œ œ# œœœ œœ œ œ œ œœ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ

œ# œ œ œ œœn œ œ œ œ œ ‰ ˙ ™™ ˙ ™™

ritenuto

63

ritenuto

&###

&###. . . .

?###. . .

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œn œn œ œ œn

Œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œœ œœœ œ œ œœœ œœœnn œ œ œœœ˙ ™™ œœ œ œ

Œ œœ œ œ Œ œœ#n œ œ œœn

™™™™™™

Più mosso53

pp

&### spiccato

&### Più mosso

∏∏∏∏

?###A major:

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Œ œœ œ Œ œœœ œ Œ œœœœ œ Œ œ œœœ Œ œœ œœœ

˙ ™™ ˙ ™™ ˙ ™™ œ œ œ œ œ œ

�101

Example 4.33: Cont.

The final major section, A’, can also be broken down into eight measure phrases, a’– e’.

When compared to the A section the f’ section is missing, hence the overall shorter length of A’.

Melodically the first five measures of a’ are almost exactly the same as a. In a, the violin had the

melody from mm. 5–12. This time, the melodic line is passed from the violin to the piano after

the first two measures. This can be seen by comparing example 4.27 with example 4.34.


™™™™™™

pp molto pp

1. 2.67

molto molto

1. 2.

V7 I

pp pp

&### U

&### .U

. .U

?###U U

œ œ# œ œ# œJ ‰ ˙ œJ ‰ ˙n

Œ œœœn œœœ Œ œœ œœ œœ Œ œœ œœ œœ

˙ ™™ œœ œ ˙ œœ œ ˙

cresc. espressivo

Tempo I.70

Tempo I.

dolce

° * ° *

&### >

&### marcato >

?###

œ# œ œ œ œ fiœjœ œ œJ ‰ ˙ Œ œ ™ œJ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ fiœjœ œ œJ ‰ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œœœ#n œœœœ œœœ œ œœœ œœœœ

œœœ œ

�102

The next section, b’, exploits the low range of the violin by presenting the melody

starting on the lowest diatonic pitch (in F# minor) possible for the violin, G#3. Beach also wrote

for the violinist to stay on the G string for the first three measures. In fact these eight measures

are the lowest eight consecutive measures for the violinist, never going higher than a B4.


While the c’ section is very similar to c, one notable change is in mm. 91–92 where these

measures contain staccato chords in the piano part. Originally these type of chords were heard in

the d section, not the c section. Consequently in the d’ section there are no staccato chords,

p

sul G78

pp

&### >

&###

?###

œ œ œ fiœjœ œ œj ‰ ˙ œ œ œ fiœjœ œ œj ‰ œ ™ œj

Œ ˙# Œ ˙ Œ ˙n# Œ ˙n˙ œœ ˙ œœ ˙ œœ ˙ œœ

82

° *

&###

&### #?###

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œj

Œ ˙ Œ œ œ Œ ˙# Œ œ œ œ œ

˙# œœ ˙ œœ ˙ œœ œ œ Œ Œ

�103

instead the piano lines stay long and connected. A unique feature, heard only in d and d’, is the

use of trills. Originally in d, the opening measure of the primary melodic phrase was used in a

very small sequence in mm. 29–30. This idea is expanded in the d’ section when the piano begins

by playing both measures of the melodic phrase twice. Then the top voice of the piano uses just

the first measure sequentially, in mm. 98–100.


mf

94

mf

° * ° *° *° *° * ° *

&### #Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3 3

&####?### &

˙ ™ œ œ œ# œ œ œ ˙ ™ œ œ œ# œ œ œ#

œ œ# œ œ fiœjœ œ œJ ‰ ˙ œœ# œœ# œœ œœ œœ œœœ# ˙##

œœ œœœ œœ# œ

œœ œœ œœœ œœ# œ œ

98

&#### # #Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

&#### ##

&###

˙ ™ ˙ ™ œ ™ œ œ œ#

˙ ™œ œ# œ œ œ ˙ ™œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#Œœœ

˙ ™™ ˙ ™™ œ# œ œ

�104

The final section of this piece, e’, contains no sign of the two-bar melodic phrase that has

been prevalent throughout. Melodically, the most striking feature is the high A#6 to begin this

section. This is the single highest violin note in the entire opus. The largely descending stepwise

motion over the next three measures creates an unraveling effect. Another effect unique in e’ is

the final five measures of the violin line, which are all pizzicato. This is the only time Beach

chose to use pizzicato in her entire Opus 40, which creates a light and playful ending.

Each major section has a clearly defined tonality. The A section is in F# minor, the B

section is in A major, and the A’ section returns to F# minor, until the end which finishes in F#

major. This is the same strategy used in La Captive, which also ends in the parallel major. The

introduction not only introduces the melody, but sets up a Ģĵ–ĩ–ġ cadence to clearly define the

opening key.


Violin

Piano

p


p


ii 7 V7 i

pp

34

3434

&### ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑

MAZURKA.

Mrs. H.H.A.BEACH.Op.40, No. 3

&### .>

?### ∑

œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œœœ ˙ œœœ œœ# ™™ œœj œœ œœ œœ# Œ ˙#œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# ™ œ œ œ ˙ œœ

�105

Beach foreshadows the move to A major through multiple V-I progressions during the

opening a and b sections. Two particular instances occur in mm. 9–10 and 17–20.



9

V6% I

&###

&###

?###

A major:

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ œ

Œ œœœ œœ Œ œœœ œœœn

˙ œœ ˙ œ

f

17

f

V6% I II9 V I

&### >

&###

?###A major:

œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œJ ‰ œ ™ ‰

œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ ™™ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ Œ œ œ œ œ˙ œœ ˙ œœ# ˙n

œœ œ œ Œ Œ

�106

The latter of these two examples is a modulation to A major, which is the key for the c

section. Throughout the first five measures of the c section, mm. 21–26, there is a tonic pedal

tone. In m. 27 the pedal tone moves to a G#, as part of a G#ή harmony which is a preparation for

the C# major harmony that will be prominent in the d section. The C# pedal tone, which begins in

m. 29, continues throughout most measures until the end of the A section.


Through the next two sections, d and e, all of the important harmonies have a mediant

relationship. The first example is mm. 29–32 (the d section) where the harmonies alternate in

each measure between C# major and A major. Then in mm. 33 and 34 the alternation occurs

every other beat (example 4.41). In this instance the A major is functioning as a coloristic

addition rather than a functional chord. It is arrived at by stepwise voice movement rather than

root motion, as there is an extended C# pedal tone beginning in mm. 29. The A major chord also

references the key area of the previous section. In the e section the important harmonies are F#

f

25

vii°7 I VII1V1 1

1

&###3

&###

?###A major:

C # major:

œJ ‰ ˙ œj ‰ ˙ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ# œ œ# œ œ œ œ

œœJ ‰˙ œœJ ‰ ˙

˙ œœœ œœœ œœ# œœœœJ ‰ Œ œœ œœJ ‰ Œ œœ# ˙# œ# œœ œ œœ#

�107

minor and D major, again chords separated by a third. F# minor harmonies appear in mm. 38, 41,

and 44, while D major appears in mm. 40 and 43. The B# in the bass on the downbeat of m. 43 is

a chromatic passing tone between B and C#. These measures are shown in example 4.42.

Additionally, there is a tonic/dominant relationship between the first set of harmonies, C# major

and A major, and the second set, F# minor and D major. Beach will tie these four chords together

in the f section.


sempre f

29

F# minor: V

f

&###

&#### n?###

° *&

˙ ™ œ ™ œ œ œ ˙ œ

˙ ™œ œ œn œ œ ˙ ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ# œ œ œ œ

œ ™ œJ œ œ ™ œnJ œ œ œ# Œ Œ

dim.

32

dim.

&###Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

&### . . . .

&###. . .

? .

œ œ ™ œJ ˙ ™ ˙ ™

œœn œ œ œ œ œœ# Œ œœœn œœœ# Œ œœnn

œ œn œ œœ œœ# Œ œœn œœ# Œ œœ

�108


Harmonically, the f section serves to reinforce the important harmonies from d and e.

These four harmonies can all be found in the first four measures of f. This time, instead of being

grouped as pairs of mediant relationships, they are presented as tonic/dominant relationships.

espressivo

38

F# minor: i6$ ° * III i6$

&### >3

&###> . .

?###

° * ° *

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ fiœjœ œ œ œJ ‰ ˙ œ œœ œ œ œ œ ™ œ

fiœj œJ ‰ ˙ œœœn œœ œœœ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œœœ œœœ œœ œœœ

˙ œœ ˙#œ

˙nœ

œœ œ œœ

rallentando

42

rallentando

III i6$

&### >3

&###

?###

œJœ œJ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ œJ œ œ œ œ ˙

œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœ# œœ œœ œ œ œœn œ

˙ œ œœ# œœn œ œ œ œ œœ

�109


The B section, as previously noted, is in A major. Throughout the first eight measures

Beach uses only three chords: Ġ, ī, and Įĵ. There is only one instance of a ĭĿ, in m. 59, as

part of the deceptive cadence that ends the first phrase (example 4.44). The second group of eight

measures is harmonically more diverse. From mm. 64–68 there is a Ġ-Ħ-Ɖ-ĩ-Ġ (example

4.45). While this is considered a standard progression it certainly provides more harmonic

variety than the first phrase. Another feature that appears in the B section is a tonic pedal tone,

which occurs in the initial four bars of both the first and second phrases.

The first subsections, a’ and b’, in the final major section (A’), are harmonically very

similar to a and b. The most noticeable difference is the lack of progressions which tonicize A

major, as seen in example 4.40 on page 106. Instead, the subdominant chord (B minor) and the

tonic key (F# minor) are prevalent. While b’ does include F# major, it always appears as an

extended chord, such as a seventh or ninth chord. An instance of this is shown in example 4.46.

pp45

pp a tempo

V7° * i V7/VI VI

&### a tempo > >

&###

?###F# minor:

œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œj ‰ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj ‰ ˙

˙# œ œœ œ œœ œ# œœn œœœ œ œœ œ œ œœ œœœ œ

œœ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œn œ œ

�110



cresc.

59

cresc.

vii°7 vi

&###3

&### . .3

?###A major:

œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ# œœœ œœ œ œ œ œœ

œ œœn œ œ œ œ œ‰

™™™™™™

ritenuto pp molto

1.64

ritenuto molto

1.

I IV V7 I

pp

&###

&###. . . .

.U

?###A major:

. .Gr

.+6

U

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œn œn œ œ œn œ œ# œ œ# œJ ‰ ˙œœœ œ œ œœ œœœ œ œ œœœ œœœnn œ œ œœœ Œ œœœn œœœ Œ œœ œœ œœœœ œ œ Œ œœ œ œ Œ œœ#n œ œ œœ ˙ ™™ œœ œ ˙

�111

Example 4.46: Mazurka, m. 80

Just as c departed from the key area of a and b, so does c’, which begins with an extended

tonicization of the Neapolitan (ęĠĠ). Ultimately, c’ moves to ĩ of Fě Major on the last measure of

the section (m. 93). The ĩ in m. 93 is ultimately resolved to the tonic chord in m. 95 which is

part of the d’ section. Overall mm. 86–95 can be reduced to ĩ/ęĠĠ-ęĠĠ-ĩ-I (example 4.47). As

previously noted, this piece ends in the parallel major. The final two sections, d’ and e’,

emphasize Fě major by utilizing mostly V and I chords.


sul G80

I9

&###

&###

?###F# minor:

œ œ œ œ œ

Œ ˙n#˙ œœ

pp cresc.

86

ppcresc.

F©II

V7

&###3

&### n

?###minor:

b

œj ‰ ˙ œj ‰ ˙ œ œ œ œnœ œfiœn jœ œ œ œ œn œ œœ œ#

œœn j ‰ ˙# œœœnj ‰ œ œ œœn œ œœ œ# œœn œ œ œœn

œœj ‰ Œ œ œj ‰

˙ ˙ œœn œœ œ œnŒ

�112

Example 4.47: Cont.

The most significant change for these transcriptions is the transposition down a perfect

fifth. The primary reasons were to preserve Beach’s intervals, register relationships, and melodic

intentions. La Captive could have remained in G minor without any necessary changes.

However, since the dark, rich quality of the C string is so alluring, the chance to play a luscious

melodic piece all on the C string was irresistible. Other than the transposition to C minor, no

other changes were made to La Captive. For the Berceuse, besides the transposition, there was

f

90

f

V7 III

V7

&### ¯

&###. . . .

.?### & .

b

. .? . .

œJ ‰˙ œ œ œ œ œn œ ˙

œ œ ™ œ œ# œ

œœnJ ‰ ˙n œœœnœœ œœ œœn œœn œœ œœ œœ# œœœ

œœnJ ‰ Œ œ œœn œ œn œœ œn ˙# œ

mf

94

mf

° * I° *

&### #Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3

&####?###

˙ ™ œ œ œ# œ œ œ

œ œ# œ œ fiœjœ œ œJ ‰ ˙œœ œ

œœ œœ# œœœ

�113

also an extended section where the right hand of the piano was raised an octave. Although not

necessary for any technical reasons, it helped the melody in the piano to be more easily heard.

Specifically this occurred in mm. 38–52, during the A’ section. For the most part, a violist could

easily play the Berceuse in the original key except for a few important measures at the end; m.

49, with the Cě (example 4.25) and mm. 60–61 (example 4.18) with the climb to the Fě6. While

those notes are certainly within the range of a viola, playing them as written would lend a more

virtuosic feel to the piece than Beach intended. Another option would be to take those two

sections down an octave; however, in m. 49 it would end up even lower than simply transposing

down a fifth and change the tone of the section. Regarding mm. 60–61, there is a magical quality

to saving the highest note for the very end, which would naturally be lost if taken down an

octave. Like La Captive, the Mazurka needed no changes other than a transposition down a fifth.

Of the three pieces in Amy Beach’s Op. 40, it was most necessary to transpose the Mazurka.

There are numerous sections which, if played in the original key, sit very high in the viola’s

register and would have potentially sounded quite awkward. If just those sections had been taken

down an octave, the overall result would greatly modify the vast majority of the piece. Therefore,

the obvious answer was the transposition down a fifth.

Unlike the Romance, scholars will never know exactly why Beach chose to write La

Captive, Berceuse, and the Mazurka or why she chose to have them published together as Op.

40. Given the overall simplicity of these pieces, Dr. Brown’s theory that they were written for a

pedagogical purpose is certainly plausible. Regardless of her reason, since Beach did not write

�114

extensively for solo string instruments, performers and scholars are lucky to have this charming

collection of pieces.

�115

Analysis of Invocation, op. 55

Amy Beach’s Invocation was published in 1904 by Schmidt Publishers. According to the

Oxford Dictionary, “invocation” is defined as “the action of invoking something or someone for

assistance; an incantation used to invoke a deity or the supernatural; (in the Christian Church) a

form of words such as ‘In the name of the Father’ introducing a prayer, sermon, etc…” . Clearly 79

the word has religious connotations, which makes sense given that Beach is in part known for

composing dozens of sacred solo and ensemble vocal pieces. The instrumentation for the

Invocation also lends credence to the belief that this piece was composed for the church. 80

Originally Invocation was marked for violin, piano or organ, and cello obbligato. Beach’s

inclusion of an organ strongly suggests that this piece was intended for the church as most

organs, if not at a college or university, are located within a church. The version for violin and

piano is the most frequently performed in the present time; as such, it will be used for the

ensuing analysis.

This piece is in strophic form. There is a four measure introduction which begins with 81

solo piano. The violin enters in m. 4 with an introductory figure leading to m. 5, which is the

start of the A section. This section lasts for 18 measures (mm. 5–22) and is followed by a piano

interlude. A’ lasts for 21 measures (mm. 28-48) and the piece is concluded by a nine measure

English Oxford Living Dictionaries, s.v. “invocation,” accessed September 25, 2016, https://79

en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/invocation.

Brown, Amy Beach and her Chamber Music, 197.80

Hung,“The Violin Sonata of Amy Beach,” 22.81

�116

coda (mm. 23–end). The division between A and A’ is made clear by the entrance of the violin. At

the end of A the violin drops out for the interlude and re-enters to start A’. The coda is clearly

distinguished by the range of its melodic content. Each major section (A and A’) begins with the

same melodic material, just in different octaves. The coda also begins with the same melodic

material, yet again in a different octave.

Each section of this piece is a phrase group. One of the most important structural

elements of this piece is the asymmetrical phrases within each phrase group, which is clearly

delineated by the use of authentic cadences. There is an authentic cadence at the very beginning

of each phrase group, between the piano’s introduction (or interlude) and the beginning of the

group. The first phrase in each group cadences on tonic. Beach extends and develops the second

phrase within each group through tonicizations and thematic development, meanwhile avoiding

any authentic cadences. An authentic cadence signals the end of each phrase group. The

harmonic analysis of these cadences will be shown later in the chapter.

As should be evident from the length of the sections listed above, Beach expands the

melodic material in A’ by adding new measures. There are multiple purposes for these additional

measures. Measure 27, the first new measure in A’, is added to transition the violin into the upper

octave for A’. This is evident when comparing mm. 4–5 from the beginning with mm. 26–28.

�117

Example 5.1: Invocation, mm. 4–5


The rest of the additional measures in A’ all occur at the end of the section, mm. 44–48. It

is easy to see the measure-by-measure relationship between A and A’ until m. 44. Measure 43 is

related to m. 20, then m. 44 drastically departs from m. 21.

p

4

&bbbb

&bbbb

?bbbb

Œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ ™ œJ˙ ™™™™ œœ œœnb œœ

jœœ œœ œœ ‰ œœ œ œœJ

˙œ œ œ œ œ œœ w ˙

pp

26

pp dolciss.

&bbbb

&bbbb

?bbbb &

Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œn ˙ œ ™ œbJ

˙nbn ™™™™ œœ œ œœ œœœ œ œ œ œb œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

˙œ œ œ œb œ œœ ˙˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

�118



pp

20

pp

&bbbbriten.

&bbbb bb nriten.

. . . . - -?bbbb

˙ œJ œn œj ˙ œ œ œ œ

‰ œ ™œj ‰œ œ œ ™œj œ œ œ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœb˙ ˙ ˙ ˙

dim. sempre dim.

46

dim. sempre dim.

&bbbb3

&bbbb

?bbbb

œ ™ œJ œ œ œn ™ œ œ ™ œJ œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ ™ œ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ œœ œ œœ œ Óœ œ œœœ œ

wwœœœ œ œ ˙ wwœœ

œ œ œ ˙˙œ œ œ ˙œ œ œœ

f ff

43

più cresc.

° *

ff

&bbbb3

&bbbb

?bbbb1

w œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ™ œ

œœœœœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœbb œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœbb œœœ œœœ œœœnn

œœœœnn œœœœ œœœ˙nnb œ œ œ œ

œœœnnœœœn œœœ œœœnn œœœ œœœbb œœœ œœœnn œœœnn œœœbb œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœœ wwœœ

œ œ œ ˙

�119

One reason for the additional measures at the end of the A’ section is the climax, which

occurs in m. 45. Beach saves the loudest dynamic of the piece, fortissimo, for this moment.

Additionally, the violin is also playing one of its highest notes in this piece, an F6. After a

sweeping climax, the next few measures serve to calm the music in preparation for the coda, with

the violin line gradually descending in register, the texture thinning, and multiple diminuendos.

Melodic embellishments happen frequently throughout the A’ section. One such instance

occurs in m. 35, which corresponds to m. 12 in the A section. Measure 12 contains a whole note,

whereas m. 35 is a clear embellishment. The following measures, m. 13 in A and m. 36 in A’, are

identical just in different octaves. More examples of melodic embellishment occur in mm. 30–32

and 41–42 when compared with mm. 7–9 and 18–19.


pp mf

12

I

mf

&bbbb3

&bbbb b?bbbb

w œ œ œ œ œ œ

œœ œn œœn œœn œ œœ œ œ œ œœœb jœœœ œœœJ ‰ œœœJ ‰ œœJ

œœ ™™œJ ˙

œœœœ œœœ œœœ

�120




7

&bbbb

&bbbb n b?bbbb n

œ ™ œj œ œ œ w œ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ

‰ œ œJœ œ œ ‰ œœ ™™ ‰œ œ œ ‰ œ ™œ œ œn œœ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œœ ‰ œ œJœ œ œ

w ˙b ˙ œ œ ˙ ˙

35

f

f

&bbbb3 3 3

&bbbb b?bbbb

˙ œ œn œ œn œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œœ œn œœn œœn œ œœ œ œ œ œœœbb j œœœb œœœJ ‰ œœœbJ ‰ œœJ

œœ ™™œJ ˙

œœœœ œœœ œœœ

cresc. poco a poco

30

cresc. poco a poco

&bbbbŸ~~~~~~3

&bbbb

&bbbb ?

œ ™ œJ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œn œ ™ œn œ œ œb œ œ œb œb œn œ

œœœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœb œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœn œœ œœb œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ

œœnn œœ œœ œœ œœbb œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœb œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ œœn œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

�121



Although Beach changes the octave of the violin melody for each major section (A, A’,

and coda), the pickup measure remains in the same octave. The melody clearly starts in mm. 5,

28, and 49 in each respective section, but in each instance the violin precedes the melody with

the same figure in the same octave. This figure can be seen in mm. 4, 26, and 48 shown in

examples 5.11–5.13 below. Although it can easily be missed in m. 48, a closer look reveals that

the violin does indeed have the same figure.

18

&bbbb Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3

&bbbbb - b -?bbbb - -

˙ ™ fiœn jœ œn œ œ œb ™ œbJ œ œ œ œ œ

œœœ œ œœb œœœ œ œœ ‰ œœ ™™œj œn œ œœnb œœ

œœœœ œœnn

œœb ˙œœ œœ

41

cresc.

p° * ° *° *

&bbbbŸ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3

&bbbb bn?bbbb

˙ fiœn jœ œn œ ™ œ œb ™ œJ œ œ œn œ

œœœ œ œœb Óœœ œœœnn œœœ œœœb œœœ œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœn œœœb

œœœœ Óœœbn

œœn œœœ œœ œœ œœb œœ œœnn

�122



Example 5.13: Invocation, mm. 48-49

p

4

&bbbb

&bbbb

?bbbb




pp

26

pp dolciss.

&bbbb

&bbbb

?bbbb &

Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œn ˙ œ ™ œbJ

˙nbn ™™™™ œœ œ œœ œœœ œ œ œ œb œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

˙œ œ œ œb œ œœ ˙˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

p con molto espressione

48

pp

&bbbbpiù tranquillo


?bbbb

œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ ™ œ ˙ œ ™ œj

œœ œ Óœ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

˙œ œ œ ˙œ œ œœ w ˙

�123

The first few bars of the coda are the same as A and A’, then the violin breaks off and

arpeggiates up to the final note. She uses this type of ascending arpeggiation at the end of both

La Captive and the Mazurka.

Throughout the Invocation Beach uses a variety of textures in the piano. While the violin

is always a flowing, melodic voice the piano changes accompaniment patterns. The introduction

starts off with long, overlapping lines. Once the violin begins the main melody, the piano lines

switch to longer notes in the left hand, which are filled out by eighth and quarter notes in the

right hand (example 5.14). This continues through the first half of the A section. Starting in m. 11

the left hand becomes more active while the right hand alternates between off-beat eighth notes

and longer, more melodic lines (example 5.15). The interlude has the same texture as the

introduction. A’ distinguishes itself by introducing a completely new texture: straight eighth

notes (example 5.16). These continuous eighth note chords last for the first half of A’, at which

point the piano returns to a similar texture as m. 11. The straight eighth note chords, now thicker

in texture, return in mm. 43–44 as a build up to the climax (example 5.4). The coda presents

another new texture: flowing, steady, tranquil eighth notes in the right hand and longer note

values in the left hand (example 5.17). In the final three measures both piano lines shift to a final,

slower chordal texture (example 5.18).

�124


Violin

Piano

Adagio con elevazione


pp

con Pedale

c

c

c

&bbbb ∑ ∑ ∑

InvocationMrs. H. H. A. Beach, Op. 55

&bbbb b

?bbbb b bn

Ó ‰œ ™œ œ œ œ ™œ œ œj œœ œœ œ œ œ œœœ ™™™ œœœ

jœœœnn ™™™ œœœJ

‰ œœn œ œ œ œœ œ œ œb œœ œœ ˙œ œ œn œ ˙œ œ œ

p

4

&bbbb

&bbbb

?bbbb




�125



pp

10

&bbbb 3

&bbbb n n b?bbbb

˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œn œ œ œ w

‰ œ œJœ œ œ ‰ œœ

j œ œœJ œœ œœ œ œ œ œœ œœ œn œœ œn œœn œœn œ œœ œ œ œ

˙ ˙nn œ ™ ˙œj œ œ Œ œœ ™™œJ ˙

mf

13

mf

&bbbb3 3

&bbbb

?bbbb

œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œn œ œ œ œ œ

œœœb jœœœ œœœJ ‰ œœœJ ‰ œœJ œJ œœ œœJ Óœ œ œ œ œœœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœn

jœœœ œœœ

j ‰ œœœj ‰ œœ

j

œœœœ œœœ œœœ wœ œ œ œ ˙

œœœœ œœ œœ

pp

27

dolciss.

&bbbb &

&bbbb

?bbbb &

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œn ˙ œ ™ œbJ ˙ œ œ œ œ

œœ œœœ œ œ œ œb œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ˙

˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœb œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

�126



Similar to the beginning of the Romance, the Invocation starts with an emphasis on the

dominant, which in this case is Eę major. The dominant preparation, which also includes a

measure of supertonic harmony, lasts four measures before finally reaching the tonic chord in m.

5.

p con molto espressione

49

pp



n?bbbb

˙ œ ™ œj ˙ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ

w ˙ œw œb œ œn

ppp

55

ppp rall.

° *

&bbbbrall. U

&bbbb- -

3

U

&bbbb - -3 U

œ ˙ œ w w

˙ œœ œœœ Ó Œ œ œœ www

˙ œœ œœ œ œœ œœœ ˙˙

wwww

�127


Beach employs an Aę pedal tone from mm. 5–9. Measure 8, the end of the first phrase,

cadences in Aę major. Starting on the G in m. 5, the tenor voice has a descending, somewhat

chromatic, scalar passage which switches to the bass voice in m. 9 and continues through the EĚ

in m. 10.

p

4

V9 I

&bbbb

&bbbb

?bbbb




Violin

Piano



!

pp

V4" V9 vii°7/iicon Pedaleii7

c

c

c

&bbbb ∑ ∑ ∑

InvocationMrs. H. H. A. Beach, Op. 55

&bbbb b

?bbbbA major:

b bn

Ó ‰œ ™œ œ œ œ ™œ œ œj œœ œœ œ œ œ œœœ ™™™ œœœ

jœœœnn ™™™ œœœJ

‰ œœn œ œ œ œœ œ œ œb œœ œœ ˙œ œ œn œ ˙œ œ œ

�128


The second half of the A section stays in Aę major, yet avoids any authentic cadences.

Instead she uses a variety of progressions which are clearly in Aę major, meanwhile bypassing a

strong dominant to tonic motion. One such example is in mm. 13–14. Here it appears as if she

may be setting up a Ĩ-Ġ with the ĩ in m. 13, followed by the bass motion to Aę in m. 14.

However, the rest of the voices do not follow the bass motion and instead remain on a ĩ.

Usually when this occurs (having a dominant chord above tonic) the dominant chord eventually

8

I

&bbbb

&bbbb

?bbbb

w œ œ œ œ œ ™ œJ ˙ œ œ œ œ

‰ œ ™œ œ œn œœ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ œœ ‰ œ œJœ œ œ ‰ œ œJœ œ œ ‰ œœ œ œœJ

˙ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙nn

5

V4"/V vii°4£

&bbbb

&bbbb b

?bbbbAb major:

n

˙ œ ™ œJ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œj œ œ œ

œœjœœ œœ œœ ‰ œ œJœ œ œ ‰ œ œœ œ œ œ œJ

œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œJœ œ œ ‰ œœ ™™œ œ œ

w ˙ œw ˙b œ w ˙b

�129

resolves to the expected tonic a few beats later. Instead, Beach chose to move to a very brief vi at

the end of the measure before landing on a Ĩ/ī in m. 15. A second spot is from m. 16, beat 3 to

m. 18, beat 1 (example 5.21). In these measures is a brief tonicization of IV, followed by a Ġĸ

which moves to a VŁ. In mm. 18–19 Beach also incorporates a tonicization of the supertonic,

very similar to what was seen in the introduction, in mm. 18–19 (example 5.21). Finally there is

a standard ĩ-I in Aę major in mm. 21–22 (example 5.22).


mf

13

mf

V7 [vi] V9/vi

&bbbb3 3

&bbbb

?bbbbAb major:

œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œn œ œ œ œ œ

œœœb jœœœ œœœJ ‰ œœœJ ‰ œœJ œJ œœ œœJ Óœ œ œ œ œœœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœœn

jœœœ œœœ

j ‰ œœœj ‰ œœ

j

œœœœ œœœ œœœ wœ œ œ œ ˙

œœœœ œœ œœ

dim.

16

dim.

V4£/IV IV I6

&bbbb Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3

&bbbb b?bbbb

œ ˙ œ œ fiœjœ œ œ ˙ œ œ

‰ œœn j œœ œ œœ œ œœœb œœœ œn œœœ œ œœ œn œ œ

œœ˙ œœ ˙ ˙ ˙

�130

Example 5.21: Cont.


The interlude, in mm. 22–27, functions the same harmonically as the introduction. It

emphasizes the dominant while preparing to return to tonic. This is accomplished in the interlude

by a ĭĿ/V-V progression, as well as a Ɖ-Ĩち-I, which resolves on the first measure of

A’ (example 5.23).

18

V4£ vii°7/ii ii V4£/ii ii6

&bbbb Ÿ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3

&bbbb bn - b -

?bbbb - -

˙ ™ fiœn jœ œn œ œ œb ™ œbJ œ œ œ œ œ

œœœ œ œœ œœœ œ œœ ‰ œœ ™™œj œn œ œœnb œœ

œœœœ œœnn

œœb ˙œœ œœ

pp

21

I6$ V7 I

&bbbbriten. a tempo

&bbbbriten.

. . . . - -a tempo

?bbbbAb major:

b

˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ ™ Œ

œ œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œœb ˙ œœœ œ œœn œ

˙ ˙˙ ™œ œn œ œ œ œœ

�131


As the A’ section is harmonically almost a duplicate of the A section, there is nothing

further to add concerning mm. 28–43. A’ breaks considerably from the A section in m. 43. Beach

combines the straight eighth note texture initially seen in m. 28, with a chromatic descent in

almost all of the voices. This builds to the climax in m. 45, which starts a dominant pedal that

lasts until the coda. Above the dominant pedal is a ĨҐ. In the buildup to the climax, Beach

includes some secondary dominants and predominants leading to the extended dominant

harmony. The tonic harmony finally returns in m. 49, the start of the coda.

pp

25

espressivo

pp dolciss.

V9& I

&bbbb ∑

&bbbb

?bbbbGr

b+6

b &

Œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œn ˙ œ ™ œbJ

œœœbbb ™™™ œœœjœœœnn œœb œœœœ

˙nbn ™™™™ œœ œ œœ œœœ œ œ œ œb œœ œœ œœœœ œœ œœœœ œœ

˙œ œb œn˙œ œb œœ ˙œ œœ

œb œ œœ ˙˙ œ œ œœ œ œœ œ

22

cresc. mf

I vii°7/V V

&bbbba tempo ∑ ∑

&bbbba tempo

b &

?bbbbAb major:

b nb n

˙ ™ Œ

˙ œœœ œ œœn œ œ ™œ œ œn j œ œœ œ œ œ œœœ ™™™ œœœnnJœœœbbn ™™™ œœœJ

˙ ™œ œn œ œ œ œœ œ œ œb œœ œœ ˙œ œ œn œ˙œ œn œ

�132


dim. sempre dim.

46

dim. sempre dim.

&bbbb3

&bbbb

?bbbb

œ ™ œJ œ œ œn ™ œ œ ™ œJ œ œ œ œb œ

˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ œœ œ

wwœœœ œ œ ˙ wwœœ

œ œ œ ˙

pcon molto espressione

48

I

pp



?bbbb

œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ ™ œ ˙ œ ™ œj

œœ œ Óœ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

˙œ œ œ ˙œ œ œœ w ˙

f ff

43

più cresc.

V4£/IV iv V7/V° * V1

ff

&bbbb3

&bbbb

?bbbbAb major: 1

w œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ™ œ

œœœœœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœbb œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœbb œœœ œœœ œœœnn

œœœœnn œœœœ œœœ˙nnb œ œ œ œ

œœœnnœœœn œœœ œœœnn œœœ œœœbb œœœ œœœnn œœœnn œœœbb œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœœ wwœœ

œ œ œ ˙

�133

The coda combines many elements previously seen throughout A and A’, including a

descending tenor line (mm. 49–52), pedal tones, and an accompaniment of continuous eighth

notes. These eighth notes contribute greatly to the tranquil character of this section, especially

when considered with the più tranquillo marking. Harmonically, the coda is almost all tonic,

ending with an authentic cadence.



ppp

55

ppp rall.

V7 I° *

&bbbbrall. U

&bbbb- -

3

U

&bbbb

Ab major:

- -3 U

œ ˙ œ w w

˙ œœ œœœ Ó Œ œ œœ www

˙ œœ œœ œ œœ œœœ ˙˙

wwww

pcon molto espressione

più dim.

49

più dim. pp


3


n b?bbbb b

˙ œ ™ œj ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ˙ œ ˙ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œb œ œœ œ œ œn œ œb œ œ œ œ œ œ

w ˙ œw œb œ œn w œ œb w ˙

�134

In order for the Invocation to keep the same range and feel of the piece for the viola, the

transcription is lowered a perfect fifth. This changes the key from Aę Major to D@ Major. While

the viola could have played the majority of the piece in the original key it would sound more

virtuosic and less simple. Beach also strategically places high notes at important points (such as

the climax); however, if left in the original key, these notes would need to be transposed down an

octave and therefore lose their intensity. The piano part is quite intricate so there were some

changes necessary in order to keep lines clear. For example, the opening introduction is raised an

octave in both staves for the first two measures. This was done to prevent the low chromatics

from causing a muddier sound than originally intended. As has been pointed out throughout the

analysis, the descending scalar lines in the left hand are very important. Therefore, it was

advantageous to raise some of the lines an octave, so they would be more prominent in the

texture. This occurred in mm. 5–8. To make this easier for the pianist the lines were also re-

voiced. The descending bass line was moved to the bottom of the right hand and the recurring

quarter notes were moved to the top of the left hand. Example 5.20 shows the original and the

transposed/re-voiced score is shown in example 5.27.

�135

Example 5.27: Invocation, mm. 5–8, viola transcription

The BĘ-Aę in m. 37 was also raised an octave.

Example 5.28: Invocation, m. 37, viola transcription

More adjustments were made in mm. 43–44 (example 5.29). In m. 43 on the downbeat,

the F was taken out of the left hand to avoid a muddier sound than was originally intended. For

the same reason, in m. 44, the B@ was removed from the last eighth note in the left hand.

Vla.

Pno

5

pp

Bbbbbb

&bbbbb ? ∫

?bbbbb

˙ œ ™ œJ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œj œ œ œ w

Ó ˙œœ œœ œœ œœ‰ œb j œœ œ ‰ ˙œ œ œ œ ˙nœ œ œ œ ‰ ˙bœb œœ ‰ ˙œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œb œœœœœ

w‰ œ

wœj ‰ œ œ œ

wœj ‰ œ œj ‰ œœ∫ ™™ ˙

‰ œ ™ œœ˙ œ

Vla.

Pno

37

&bbbbb

&bbbbb?bbbbb

˙ œ œ œ œ

œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœœœ œœ

˙˙∫

œœ œœ

�136

Example 5.29: Invocation, mm. 43–44, viola transcription

The simple, beautiful nature of this piece adapts very easily to the viola and despite the

transposition, the original intent and feeling is maintained.

Vla.

Pno

f

43

più cresc.

° *

&bbbbb3

?bbbbb &

?bbbbb

w œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œœœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœbb œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ∫∫ œœœ œœœ œœœnnœœœœnn œœœœ œœœ

œœbbœœœb œœœ œœœnn œœœ œœœbb œœœ œœœnn œœœnn œœœbb œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ

œœ

�137

Chapter 6: Pedagogical and Performance Uses of the Viola Transcriptions

Amy Beach’s opuses 23, 40, and 55 help to fill the noticeable void within the viola

repertoire of pieces written by American Women composers. They provide new performance

options for both students and professionals. This Chapter will explore the difficulties

encountered in each piece, as well as give suggested performance situations. Additionally, two

difficulty levels will be assigned to each piece. One of the many problems with assigning

difficulty is the subjective nature of any rating system. The two systems used will be the

American String Teachers Association Certificate Advancement Program (ASTACAP), and

Donald McInnes’s Representative List of Viola Repertoire. Every rating system has its strengths

and weaknesses, and these two are no exception. However, they are both well respected and

trusted by many teachers, which makes them an ideal fit for this document.

ASTACAP has levels ranging from foundational through level ten, while Donald

McInnes has just four levels. In some respects the goals of each list are opposites. While they

both break down repertoire by difficulty level, ASTACAP is aimed at students ranging from

those who have just begun playing through an advanced level, typical of a junior or senior

undergraduate performance major. Meanwhile, all of the pieces on Donald McInnes’ list are

suitable for a professional concert setting. McInnes uses level one to denote the easiest pieces on

his list and level four to designate the most difficult repertoire. The goal of his list is to guide

advanced students and professional violists in their repertoire choices. An example of this

difference in philosophy can be found in the rating of Infanta Marina for Viola and Piano by

Vincent Persichetti. ASTACAP rates this at a level ten, the highest level possible, while McInnes

�138

gives this a level two rating. After much cross referencing there does not seem to be a suitable

blanket conversion between the two lists; meaning it is not possible to say that levels one to three

of ASTACAP cover the same repertoire as McInnes level one. ASTACAP level ten pieces range

from levels two to four in the McInnes system. All of this is stated to make it clear that while the

author diligently attempted to give each piece an appropriate rating, naturally arguments could be

made to raise or lower each specific recommendation. The pieces below will be presented in

publication order, as they were in Chapters 3–5.

The piece most clearly intended for professionals is the Romance. As noted in Chapter 3,

this piece was written for one of the preeminent violinists at the time, Maud Powell. By this

point in Maud Powell’s career she had already played the Bruch G Minor concerto with both the

Berlin Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic. While Beach was writing the Romance,

Powell was preparing to premiere the Dvořák Violin Concerto in the United States. According to

Joseph Joachim, the Dvořák concerto was too hard for a woman to perform. However, after 82

Dvořák heard Powell play the concerto, he said he “should write to Joachim at once that he

[Dvořák] had found a woman who could play his concerto perfectly.” 83

One of the biggest technical challenges of the Romance is the frequent leaps to high

notes. Instead of the highest notes being approached by step-wise scalar motion, such as in the

Mazurka or Berceuse, they are almost always approached by leap. The examples below show a

“Maud Powell Meets Dvořák,” The Maud Powell Society for Music and Education Souvenir Autumn 82

(2015): 3.

Ibid, 3. 83

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few such moments, although many more exist throughout the piece. It should be noted the

examples below are from the viola transcription.

Example 6.1: Romance, m. 39, viola transcription

Example 6.2: Romance, mm. 46–47, viola transcription

The range is another aspect which firmly cements the Romance’s status as a difficult

piece. When comparing the highest note in the Romance with the big three viola concertos

(Walton, Bartók, and Hindemith’s Der Schwanendreher), the highest note lands between that of

Der Schwanendreher and Bartók. For comparisons sake, the concerto with the lowest high note

is Hindemith’s Der Schwanendreher which contains a D6. The Bartók concerto contains a G6

and the Walton concerto is the highest with an A6. The Romance, even transposed, contains an

F6. Musically, this piece has many long, extended phrases which require a mature sense of

phrasing and a fully developed vibrato. One aspect that makes it a little easier than many other

works is the lack of double stops. In fact, throughout all of the opuses covered by this paper,

f

39

&## . >œnJ ‰œ œ ™ œ# œ# œ ™ œ œ

molto espressivo

46

&## œ œ# œ ™ œ#J˙# œJ œ œJ

�140

there is not a single double stop written. The Mazurka does conclude with a few pizzicato

chords, but those do not present the same level of challenge as extended double stop passages.

Whether this was a conscious or unconscious choice by the composer will never be known;

however, it is a characteristic that does contribute to making these pieces more accessible to

students. Due to the issues of range and the exclusion of double stops, the Romance would fit

into level ten for ASTACAP and level three for McInnes. This piece can be considered as

challenging as either Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata or Brahms’s F Minor Sonata, which are both

considered to be level ten pieces for ASTACAP and level three pieces for McInnes. Both the

Schubert and Brahms are devoid of extended double stop passage, like the Romance. Also the

range of both sonatas is within a third of the Romance. The highest note in Arpeggione is an E6

and the Brahms is a C#/Dę6. Similar to the Romance, both pieces also have long extended

phrases requiring a mature vibrato, especially in each respective second movement. Additionally,

in the ASTACAP goals for level ten it lists “fluent playing over the entire range of the

instrument.” Based on the above discussion, the Romance would help a student achieve those 84

ASTACAP requirements.

La Captive, the first of the Op. 40 pieces, restricts the performer to only using the C

string. Therefore it requires frequent shifting into higher positions, which are often underutilized

by advancing players. Besides addressing any technical shifting issues the student may have, this

piece can also be used to work on the sound production in those positions. Normally, when a less

advanced player shifts high on the C string, the sound quality noticeably diminishes. A variety of

Nancy Bargerstock et al., The American String Teachers Association Certificate Advancement Program 84

Handbook (2014), 43.

�141

factors can cause this problem such as the contact point of the bow, the amount of weight used in

the right arm, or the question of how much pressure to use in the left hand fingers. This piece

provides a melodic opportunity to address those concerns. Since students tend to enjoy practicing

their repertoire more than etudes, this piece can serve a double function. Additionally, as it is also

well composed and beautifully written, it would be appropriate to program for a jury or recital.

Naturally this piece could also be played by a professional, as they could use this opportunity to

showcase their sound quality in a range not frequently demonstrated on the viola. The

appropriate ASTACAP level for this piece would be level eight, and for McInnes would be level

two. Comparable pieces would be Bruch’s Romanza or the first and fourth movements of

Schumann’s Marchenbïlder, both of which are rated level eight in ASTACAP and level two in

McInnes. The Bruch and specific movements of the Schumann have overall slower tempos and

longer musical lines, like La Captive, which require at least a developing vibrato and maturing

sense of phrasing. Although the Bruch and Schumann cover a larger range than La Captive,

usually only shifts into fifth position are required for either piece, whereas in La Captive shifts

into 8th position are necessary. Additionally, this piece would help a student achieve some of the

specific goals for ASTACAP level eight such as “confidence and accuracy in shifting” and

“developing varied speeds and widths of vibrato.” 85

The Berceuse tackles another technique which is not often addressed in private lessons:

playing while muted. Using a mute is a common occurrence in either an orchestra or a chamber

ensemble; however, there are not many solo pieces which require the user to perform muted. Two

Bargerstock et al., ASTACAP Handbook, 41.85

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prominent examples are the end of the third movement of Berlioz’s Harold in Italy, as well as m.

160-end of the 3rd movement in Shostakovich’s Viola Sonata. Currently there are a large variety

of mutes available for violists, and the Berceuse offers a great opportunity to test out an

assortment of options.

Mutes come in a mixture of shapes, sizes, and materials. It is possible to buy mutes made

out of rubber, plastic, metal, or leather. Each mute has a unique shape. While some mutes can fit

on one string, others need multiple strings. Some mutes are meant to sit next to the bridge, while

others need to sit on the bridge. The Heifetz mute is an adjustable mute with a metal arm that can

be slid up or down to vary the dampening effect. Luckily, since mutes are not expensive, it would

be possible to buy multiple options for experimentation while working on the Berceuse.

One aspect of the Berceuse that makes it a perfect candidate to test a variety of mutes is

the range covered on the viola. This piece goes down to D3, the lowest D on the viola, and all the

way up to B5 which requires the player to be in at least fifth position. This means that the

Berceuse covers the range represented by the muted section in both Harold in Italy and

Shostakovich’s Sonata. Of all the pieces analyzed in this paper this is the easiest and therefore

should be considered a level six for ASTACAP and level 1 for McInnes. Pieces of a similar

difficulty include Fauré’s Après un rêve or Bach’s Arioso (from Suzuki Vol. 6). Après un rêve,

Arioso, and Berceuse all are to be played at a slower tempo. Excluding mm. 60–61 of the

Berceuse, the rest of the notes could be played in first position. The same is true for the Arioso,

and all except one note in Après un rêve. For musical reasons a performer would shift multiple

times during these pieces; however, they would mainly use first, second, third, and fourth

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positions. The goals for ASTACAP level six include “growing skills in shifting and playing in

upper positions,” “more fluid and even vibrato used in pieces,” and “beauty of tone in sustained

passages.” If a violist achieved ASTACAP’s goals for level six then their performance of the 86

Berceuse would be successful.

The Mazurka, the final piece in Op. 40, offers the most technical challenges for the

student performer. Since the pieces in Op. 40 were written separately, but published together,

they could be performed as a set, or each piece could be extracted and played on its own, as is

frequently the case. As discussed in Chapter 4, the mazurka as concert music was made famous

by Chopin who composed at least 57 mazurkas between the years 1825-1849. Since then many 87

other composers and arrangers have been inspired to write their own mazurkas, and now even a

violist has multiple options. Some were originally written for the viola, such as Hermann Ritter’s

Introduction and Mazurka or Hans Sitt’s Gavotte and Mazurka, Op. 132. There are also those

that have been transcribed for the viola such as numerous Chopin examples, or Mazurkas by

Mikhail Glinka and Edward Elgar. Elgar’s Mazurka was originally written for full orchestra but

later transcribed by the composer for solo piano and violin with piano. It is now available as a

solo viola piece from J.W. Pepper. Although Beach’s Mazurka is the hardest piece in op. 40, it is

technically less demanding than most of the mazurkas listed above. Therefore this piece would

be a suitable introduction to the genre for a student violist. However, like the rest of Op. 40, it is


Kornel Michałowski and Jim Samson, "Chopin, Fryderyk Franciszek,” Grove Music Online, Oxford 87

Music Online, Oxford University Press, accessed January 13, 2017, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/51099.

�144

composed well enough to also sound appropriate when played by a professional. The challenges

encountered in Beach’s Mazurka include long spiccato passages, large leaps in range, and the

ability to capture the stylistic qualities of a mazurka.

As mentioned in Chapter 4 there are a number of stylistic features of which a performer

needs to be aware when playing the dance known as the mazurka. First, while the music is based

on a dance with a lively character, the tempo is supposed to be on the slower side. As the

mazurka is in a triple meter, accents frequently occur on the weak beats, a feature that would

need to be emphasized without disrupting the phrasing. Pedagogically there are a number of

methods that a teacher could use to help their students learn more about mazurkas. For example,

they could study the original dance movements and music. Although this particular mazurka was

not intended to be used for dancing, an understanding and appreciation for the original intent of

the style would benefit the performer. Also, it would be useful to study the mazurkas written for

violin by the famous Polish violinist Henryk Wieniawski, to better understand how a native

composer wrote specifically for a string instrument within the mazurka style.

An appropriate ASTACAP level for Beach’s Mazurka would be a nine and for the

McInnes list would be a two. It is of similar difficulty to the Stamitz Viola Concerto in D Major

or various movements of J.S. Bach’s Cello Suites, both of which are respectively rated as a nine

and two. There are many reasons why the Mazurka can be considered as challenging as the

Stamitz concerto. For example, within the first 17 measures of the viola’s entrance in both pieces

a D6 is reached. As a reminder, that is the same single highest pitch for the solo viola as found in

Hindemith’s Der Schwanendreher. Each work also has a number of fast scalar passage that

�145

quickly cross all four strings. Lastly, in the final movement of the Stamitz, the third variation is

usually played off the string, which corresponds to the middle section of the Mazurka.

Concerning the Bach Cello Suites, the most obvious similarity is the stylistic considerations of

playing concert music based upon traditional dance music. Just as learning about the origins of

the mazurka would be helpful, so is learning the history of the various dance styles found

throughout the suites. The range of the 6th Suite can be compared to the Mazurka, especially if a

violist plays the Suite in the original key of D major. The goals for level nine which the Mazurka

meets are, “increased fluency and ease of shifting in high positions,” “clean and even

passagework and extended fast passages,” and “heightened development of a sense of style and

instrumental imagination.” There is much to be learned from studying Beach’s Mazurka, 88

including a variety of technical and stylistic techniques.

The final piece analyzed in this document, the Invocation, is a beautiful, lyrical piece. As

discussed in Chapter 5 this piece was possibly written for a church service. The challenges found

in the Invocation are very similar to La Captive. Although the performer is not limited to one

string, the Invocation does contain many long, sustained musical lines which require shifting into

higher positions on the A string. A mature or developing vibrato is needed to help with the

phrasing of the long notes, while smooth shifting and good bow control of string crossings are

necessary to keep the longer, more complicated lines flowing. The performer must be

comfortable sustaining a soft dynamic, even in a high register, as only 13 measures of the piece

are written either forte or fortissimo. This piece would deserve to be rated an eight for ASTACAP


�146

or a two for McInnes. Like La Captive, this piece would be a good match for the level eight

goals of “confidence and accuracy in shifting” and “developing varied speeds and widths of

vibrato.” 89

The finished transcriptions of the above works will be available soon through Spartan

Press Music. As detailed above, these five pieces can serve a variety of purposes for both the

professional and student violist. Many important technical concepts are covered, including

shifting into high positions, vibrato, spiccato, projection, and stylistic considerations. La Captive

may be the only viola piece written entirely for the C string, the Berceuse may be the only piece

for viola that is to be played entirely muted, and the Mazurka is a great introduction to the genre.

The Invocation gives another option for violists looking to program a shorter lyrical work, and

the Romance is a technically demanding piece that is sure to challenge any performer. This

collection of pieces is a welcomed and much needed addition to the viola repertoire.


�147

Chapter 7: Conclusion

Amy Marcy Cheney Beach was a pioneer for women. She was a professional musician

while also fulfilling the era’s societal obligations for women. In one extraordinary lifetime she

lived three separate lives. As a child and teenager Beach lived the life of a piano prodigy,

breaking the mold by succeeding without formal European training. In 1885 she married Dr.

Henry Beach, and for 25 years she was the wife to a well respected doctor. Although they never

had children, possibly the biggest regret of her life, Beach was able to not only run a household

and fulfill her social obligations, but to also compose and occasionally perform. It was during

this period that she wrote some of her most famous works including the Gaelic Symphony, Piano

Concerto in Cě minor, and her Mass. During her marriage Beach also composed all of the pieces

discussed in this document. Following her husband’s death in 1910, when Beach was 43 years

old, she began yet another new chapter in her life. She traveled often to Europe, spent

considerable time at the MacDowell Colony, expanded her seasonal living quarters to include

New York City, and continued composing. Beach lived in a time when women were fighting to

be considered equal to men. Her actions helped to advance the women’s rights movements

without ever becoming controversial. It is an honor to be able to help advance her legacy through

the transcription and performance of Beach’s music. It would be difficult for someone to study

the life of Amy Beach and find serious fault with her life choices.

Violists, like women, have struggled long and hard to be thought of as soloistic equals to

either of their closest string relatives, the violin or cello. Due to centuries of perceived inequality,

the viola repertoire has significant gaps. This document and published transcriptions provide

�148

violists with more selections when seeking repertoire written by late 19th - early 20th century

American women composers. With the addition of these five pieces to the repertoire,

professionals, teachers, and students now have new programming options.

The detailed analytical work provided in this document will be of assistance to future

scholars and performers. For scholars, these fives pieces are analyzed in as much harmonic,

thematic, and melodic detail as possible. Beach was an entirely self-taught composer at a time

when her only resources were scores and writings. Consequently her stylistic, harmonic, and

melodic choices are fascinating. As noted in Chapter four there is a possibility that this paper

may have discovered the first time, in classical music, that an augmented sixth chord served as a

dominant substitution in a circle progression which ultimately resolved to Ġ, not Ĩ or ĠĹ. For

performers, the goal is to provide an accessible analysis that would deepen their knowledge and

understanding of both the composer and the construction of her pieces. As all examples are from

the original violin scores, these analyses will be of use to future performers of either the original

violin works or the viola transcriptions.

The author’s transcriptions of these works will be available shortly through Spartan

Music Press. It is the author’s sincere hope that these pieces may become a beloved part of the

viola repertoire.

�149

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a transcription for the viola of three violin works by amy

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